'feff^ 


.  ..„<        ~*.*, 


^',  ' 


REESE   LIBRARY 


i_J*_rt~JS 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
-7(tv, 


FROM  THE  "ANALYSE  DE  LA  NATURE." 


AUTHOR'S  EDITION 

FILSON  CLUB  PUBLICATIONS  No.  10 


THE  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 


OF 


RAFINESQUE 


Prepared  for  the  Filson  Club  and  read  at  its  Meeting 
Monday,  April  2,  1894 


BY  RICHARD  ELLSWORTH  CALL,  M.A.,  M.Sc.,  M.D. 

Member  of  the  Filson  Club 


LOUISVILLE,  KENTUCKY 
JOHN  P.  MORTON  AND  COMPANY 

fo  l 
1895 


CNIVBB8ITT 


COPYRIGHTED  BY 

RICHARD  ELLSWORTH  CALL 
1895 


TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

Constantino  ^amuef 

NATURALIST 


PREFACE. 


HHHIS  memoir  had  its  inception  in  an  attempt  to  clear 
•1  up  certain  matters  connected  with  the  synonymy  of 
a  large  and  important  group  of  fresh  -water  mollusks  — 
the  UnionidcB,  A  number  of  very  remarkable  facts  con 
nected  with  the  personality  of  its  subject  were  thus 
incidentally  learned.  As  the  collation  of  data  proceeded 
the  facts  gathered  seemed  of  sufficient  importance  to 
group  them  for  presentation  to  the  literary  and  scientific 
world,  in  the  hope  that  a  better  and  more  intelligent 
understanding  of  this  eccentric  naturalist  might  result. 
A  number  of  impressions  were  forced  upon  my  attention 
as  the  work  proceeded;  among  other  conclusions  reached 
was  the  one  that  Rafinesque  had  not  been  treated  always 
fairly  by  his  contemporaries.  Resulting  from  this  was 
the  conviction  that  many  naturalists  now  living  have 
formed  opinions  concerning  the  nature  and  value  of 
Rafinesque's  work,  which  appear  to  me  to  be  quite 
erroneous.  In  the  hope  that  some  of  these  misappre 
hensions  might-  be  corrected  the  task  of  writing  his 
life,  which  is  quite  a  labor  of  love,  was  undertaken. 


THF. 

UHIVEB8ITI 


vi  Preface. 

The  Filson  Club,  an  organization  devoted  primarily 
to  the  collection  and  preservation  of  original  matter 
connected  with  the  history  of  the  State  of  Kentucky, 
has,  since  it  recognizes  Rafinesque  as  the  first  resident 
professor -naturalist  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  been 
particularly  interested  in  this  memoir,  and  its  aid  has 
been  freely  extended  in  the  matter  of  sumptuous  publica 
tion.  The  intelligent  interest  and  historical  enthusiasm 
of  Colonel  R.  T.  Durrett,  LL.  D.,  the  President  of  the 
Club,  was  early  enlisted  in  the  project,  partly  for  the 
reasons  above  given  and  partly  because  of  personal 
interest  in  the  career  of  a  most  remarkable  man.  He 
freely  offered  access  to  his  superb  and  unrivaled  library 
of  Kentuckiana,  without  which  courtesy  much,  which 
now  appears,  must  long  have  remained  unknown. 

During  the  progress  of  this  work  numerous  courtesies 
have  been  extended,  and  by  various  persons.  To  these 
especial  thanks  are  due.  Professor  Howard  M.  Ballou, 
of  the  Louisville  Manual  Training  High  School,  spent 
many  days  in  the  various  libraries  of  Boston  and  Cam 
bridge  in  abstracting  and  verifying  certain  bibliographic 
matter;  to  his  interest  and  zeal  this  portion  of  the 
brochure  owes  very  much  indeed;  he  has  also  rendered 
invaluable  aid  in  proof-reading  as  the  several  signatures 
came  from  the  press.  Doctor  G.  Brown  Goode,  Assistant 


Preface.  vii 

Director  of  the  United  States  National  Museum,  Doctor 
Charles  S.  Sargent,  Director  of  the  Arnold  Arboretum 
at  Jamaica  Plains,  Mr.  C.  E.  Faxon,  of  the  same  institu 
tion,  Honorable  Thomas  Meehan,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
W.  H.  Venable,  LL.  D.,  of  Cincinnati,  have  all  contrib 
uted  valuable  aid.  Doctor  Goode  especially  has  cour 
teously  furnished  all  the  references  to  the  rare  Specchio 
delle  Scienze,  and  has  also  verified  others;  he  further 
has  looked  over  the  proofs  of  part  of  the  bibliographic 
portion  as  they  came  from  the  printer,  and  has  made 
numerous  valuable  suggestions.  I  desire  to  make  especial 
mention  of  the  aid  afforded  by  Miss  Johanna  Peter,  of 
Lexington,  who  kindly  undertook  the  laborious  task  of 
a  careful  search  through  the  Lexington  Library,  rich 
in  old  Kentucky  books  and  newspaper  files,  and  thus 
led  to  the  discovery  of  many  useful  items.  Mr.  Alexander 
Griswold  kindly  photographed  the  pages  for  the  plate 
illustrating  the  Florula  Ludovic iana ;  Doctor  William 
T.  Durrett  did  the  same  with  the  page  for  the  plate 
from  the  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.  Mrs.  Asa  Gray 
has  courteously  allowed  the  use  of  the  letter  to  De  Can- 
dolle,  from  among  the  letters  left  by  Doctor  Asa  Gray, 
which  is  herein  reproduced.  To  Doctor  B.  L.  Robinson, 
Curator  of  the  Herbarium  at  Harvard  University,  thanks 
are  due  for  the  opportunity  to  photograph  the  portrait 


viii  Preface. 

of  Rafinesque,  which  forms  the  frontispiece  in  the 
"Analyse  de  la  Nature,"  and  which  subserves  the  same 
purpose  in  this  volume.  To  all  these  gentlemen  and 
other  helpers  most  cordial  thanks  are  extended. 

Several  important  items  connected  with  rare  books 
were  searched  for  and  given  me  by  Mr.  Sidney  M.  Ballon, 
of  Harvard  University,  for  which  grateful  acknowledg 
ment  is  tendered.  The  portrait  of  Rafinesque,  from  the 
Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  was  permitted  presenta 
tion  through  the  generous  courtesy  of  Honorable  R.  G. 
Thwaites,  the  Secretary.  To  our  publishers  especial 
acknowledgments  are  due  for  the  pains  taken  to  secure 
perfection  in  the  sumptuous  form  of  publication  adopted. 
Their  work  needs  no  commendation. 

To  the  naturalists  of  America  this  brochure  is  sub 
mitted  in  the  hope  that  it  will  at  least  aid  in  placing 
its  remarkable  subject  in  his  proper  place  in  the  histoi^ 
of  natural  science  in  this  country.  Whether  all  will 
acquiesce  in  the  conclusions  reached  is  really  a  matter 
of  very  small  moment.  If  there  shall  result  an  intelli 
gent  estimate,  favorable  or  otherwise,  of  the  writings 
and  botanical  or  other  scientific  work  of  Rafinesque;  if 
those  who  have  known  him  only  through  misinformation 
furnished  by  contemporaries,  who,  in  all  cases,  were  not 
wholly  disinterested  investigators,  shall  now  have  oppor- 


Preface.  ix 

tunity  to  consult  his  published  work,  and  shall  be  able, 
through  it,  to  approve  or  condemn  his  course;  if  the 
tendency  to  ignore  all  of  his  work  because  some  of  it 
was  peculiarly  bad  shall  give  way  to  a  more  generous 
treatment,  then,  the  time  required  to  collect  and  arrange 
the  scattered  matter  which  constitutes  the  bibliographic 
portion  of  this  volume,  and  to  present  for  inspection 
the  whole  course  of  an  active  though  largely  misdirected 
life,  will  be  amply  repaid.  It  is  not  true,  notwithstand 
ing  that  the  editor  of  a  well-known  scientific  journal  has 
but  just  editorially  so  declared,  that  recent  identifications 
of  Rafinesque's  species  "will  be  ultimately  set  aside, 
when  a  more  critical  spirit  prevails  among  species  zoolo 
gists";  on  the  contrary,  outside  of  certain  editorial 
rooms  there  prevails  that  spirit  of  honor  and  fairness 
which  demands  that  these  claims  shall  be  recognized. 
The  position  thus  editorially  assumed  is,  in  itself,  a 
complete  justification  for  the  expenditure  of  the  time 
and  means  involved  in  presenting,  to  men  of  science, 
this  resume  of  the  work  and  life  of  Rafinesque. 

RICHARD  ELLSWORTH  CALL. 

THE  FILSON  CLUB, 

LOUISVILLE,  KENTUCKY, 
7  JANUARY,  1895. 


ANALYSIS. 


PAGE 

Introductory, i 

Birth  and  Early  Life, 3 

First  Visit  to  America, 10 

Ten  Years  in  Sicily, ....  14 

Second  Visit  to  the  United  States, 19 

First  Visit  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio 23 

The  Visit  to  Henderson, 24 

From  Henderson  to  the  Mississippi, 29 

First  Visit  to  Lexington 30 

Rafinesque  at  Transylvania  University, 32 

First  Object  Teacher  in  Kentucky, 42 

Rafinesque  as  a  Lecturer, 43 

From  1825  to  1840, 49 

The  Six  Per  Cent  Savings  Bank 54 

The  Death  of  Rafinesque,    .    . 55 

Disposition  of  the  Property  of  Rafinesque, 58 

The  Personal  Appearance  of  Rafinesque, 61 

The  Portraits  of  Rafinesque, 67 

Rafinesque's  Scientific  Writings, 73 

Scientific  Work  in  Sicily, 74 

Scientific  Work  in  Lexington, 88 

The  Fishes  of  the  Ohio, 90 

Rafiuesque's  Work  in  Conchology, 96 


xii  Analysis. 

PAGE 

Rafinesque's  Work  in  Botany 103 

The  Florula  Ludoviciana, 104 

Other  Botanical  Work,      107 

Archaeologic  Work 114 

Literary  Work  from  1825  to  1840, 119 

Rafinesque's  Literary  Style, 122 

Rafinesque  and  Evolution, 126 

Medals,  Diplomas,  and  Other  Honors, 129 

Rafinesque's  Name  in  Nomenclature, 131 

Bibliography, 133 

Summary  of  Publications, 207 

Bibliographia  Incerta, 208 

Bibliotheca  Rafinesquiana, 209 

The  Will  of  Rafiuesque, 215 


THE    LIFE    AND    WRITINGS 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


rT"*HE  difficulties  with  which  students  of  science  meet, 
especially  when  far  removed  from  the  great  centers 
of  scientific  learning  and  culture,  are  often  not  appre 
ciated  at  their  full  value.  Familiarity  with  the  work 
of  others  in  the  same  fields  is  impossible  to  many; 
sympathetic  interest  on  the  part  of  others  is  unknown; 
fruitful  methods  which  result  from  the  successful  expe 
rience  of  others  are  unheard  of;  means  of  publication 
of  facts  of  value  and  of  especial  scientific ,  importance 
on  first  discovery  are  entirely  wanting.  Then,  too,  it 
often  happens  that  communities  which  are  far  removed 
from  the  great  urban  centers  have  little  appreciation 
of  the  life  and  work  of  the  student  of  Nature,  who  is 
always  open  to  the  suspicion  of  mental  derangement, 
or  at  least  of  being  charitably  regarded  as  " eccentric". 
Far  more  noticeable  is  this  unfavorable  feature  in  a 
country  yet  quite  primitive.  In  such  regions  the  indus- 


2  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

tries  and  minds  of  the  people  are  concentrated  upon 
the  single  problem  of  making  the  unwilling  earth  yield 
an  abundant  store,  or  else  directed  to  that  other  task 
of  reclaiming  a  virgin  forest  and  establishing  a  center 
of  urban  life  and  activity.  Mental  and  scientific  pursuits 
under  these  conditions  receive  little  attention  and  less 
encouragement;  in  some  unexplained  manner  it  often 
happens  that  those  who  attempt  to  promote  these  objects 
meet  with  decided  opposition.  Such  opposition  is  based 
chiefly  upon  the  idea  that  matters  of  any  sort,  to  be  of 
value,  must  have  reference  solely  to  the  real  present 
and  find  expression  in  money  values.  Rare  indeed  is 
it,  in  these  early  communities,  to  find  any  adequate 
conception  of  the  value  of  the  work  and  time  spent 
in  the  collection  of  plants  and  animals,  of  bugs  and  of 
fishes,  of  fossils  and  of  clams.  What  matters  it  that  one 
should  know  the  life  history  of  a  single  nocuous  insect, 
or  that  he  have  full  knowledge  of  the  ways  best  to 
protect  fishes  in  maintaining  their  existence  in  our 
streams  ?  Is  not  a  bug,  a  bug,  and  a  gar-pike,  a  gar-pike, 
for  all  that?  So  say  they  all!  And  stranger  still,  let 
such  matters  become  subject  for  legislative  appropria 
tions,  and  those  who  most  directly  are  concerned  stand 
in  armed  neutrality  or  else  in  aggressive  opposition. 
Such  is  the  common  fate  of  propositions  connected  with 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesqtte.  3 

the   development    of   natural    resources   when    the   State 
is  asked  to  aid. 

It  follows  from  these  considerations  that  one  can  not 
give  a  just  estimate  of  the  life  and  work  of  a  man  unless 
one  regards  well  the  times  in  which  he  lived,  the  prevail 
ing  enthusiasms  or  their  lack,  the  public  knowledge  on 
matters  of  this  sort,  the  public  appreciation  of  their 
value,  and  the  other  conditions  of  social  and  educational 
environment  of  which  the  scholar  and  student  of  men, 
or  of  language,  or  of  Nature,  is  not  wholly  independent. 
The  beginnings  of  scientific  life  in  Kentucky  were  in 
just  such  surroundings  as  these  pictured,  and  long 
remained  unchanged.  In  such  primitive  scenes,  though 
trained  in  an  old  and  cultured  community,  the  most 
active  period  of  a  most  eventful  life  was  passed;  in 
estimating  its  value  to  us  and  to  the  State  all  these 
facts  must  have  weight. 

BIRTH  AND  EARLY  LIFE. 

Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque  [Schmaltz]  was  born 
in  Turkey  in  Europe,  in  Galata,  a  suburb  of  Constanti 
nople,  October  22,  1783.  He  was  of  French  -  German 
descent,  his  father  being  a  French  merchant  of  Mar 
seilles,  while  his  mother,*  though  born  in  Greece,  was 

*Died  at  Bordeaux,  1831. 


4  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

of  German  parentage,  from  Saxony.  The  mercantile 
enterprises  of  his  father  reached  to  distant  lands  and 
often  necessitated  his  absence  from  home  for  long  periods 
at  a  time.  There  would  seem  to  be  but  little  question 
but  that  matters  connected  with  his  father's  business 
ventures  and  their  recital  in  the  home  of  the  lad  had 
something  to  do  with  determining  his  future  bent  toward 
travel.  The  family  was  not  a  large  one;  Rafinesque 
had  one  only  sister,  who  became  a  Mrs.  G.  Lanthois,  of 
Bordeaux,  whose  name  was  never  mentioned  by  our 
author  save  once,  and  a  younger  brother,  Anthony 
Augustus.  From  the  circumstance  that  Rafinesque 
speaks  of  this  brother  as  his  younger  brother  some 
have  inferred  that  there  was  an  older  member  of  the 
group  of  sons,  but  if  so  it  nowhere  appears  in  any  of 
his  writings.  More  of  the  family  is  not  known.  The 
younger  brother  drops  out  of  the  record  after  1805, 
having  gone  to  France  from  Philadelphia,  and  thence  to 
Sicily,  and  nothing  further  is  known  of  him.  Of  the 
mother  very  little  is  known,  but  from  the  fragmentary 
items  connected  with  the  earlier  education  of  Rafinesque 
it  would  appear  that  she  was  a  most  intelligent  woman, 
and  had  great  concern  for  the  proper  education  of 
this  son.  The  absence  from  home  of  the  father  natu 
rally  placed  almost  the  entire  care  of  this  phase  of  the 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  5 

boy's  home  life  in  his  mother's  hands,  and  she  seems 
to  have  performed  her  duty  well  and  conscientiously. 
Rafinesque  says*  that  in  one  of  the  numerous  country 
seats  about  Marseilles  he  first  became  conscious  of  his 
existence,  and  there  he  received  his  first  education.  In 
his  own  words:  "It  was  there  among  the  flowers  and 
fruits  that  I  began  to  enjoy  life,  and  I  became  a  Botanist. 
Afterwards  the  first  premium  I  received  in  a  school  was 
a  book  on  Animals,  and  I  became  a  Zoologist  and  Natu 
ralist."  There  are  some  who  profess  to  see  in  this  state 
ment  that  Rafinesque  had  too  high  an  appreciation  of 
his  powers,  since  a  young  man,  or,  rather,  a  mere  boy,  such 
as  he  then  was,  could  have  been  neither  a  botanist  nor  a 
zoologist.  Perhaps,  however,  the  just  interpretation  will 
be  the  one  Rafinesque  himself  intended,  namely,  that 
these  books  determined  his  career  and  that  he  dated  his 
interest  in  scientific  matters  from  that  time.  In  1793 
his  father  died,  a  victim  to  the  yellow -fever  epidemic 
of  that  year  which  made  such  waste  of  life  in  Philadel 
phia,  whither  the  merchant  Rafinesque  had  gone  to 
escape  the  English  cruisers.  The  recollection  of  this 
fact  afterward  cost  the  son  much  trouble  in  a  similar 
epidemic  which  obtained  in  Philadelphia,  after  Constan 
tine  had  himself  become  a  resident  of  that  city. 

*  A  Life  of  Travels  and  Researches  in  North  America  and  South  Europe, 
etc.,  p.  6. 


6  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  four  years  from  1792  to  1796  were  passed  in 
residence  with  his  mother  near  Leghorn,  in  Italy,  whither 
she  had  gone  throngh  fear  connected  with  the  excesses 
of  the  French  Revolution.  He  had  previously  been 
taken  to  several  other  places  by  his  parents,  and  this 
fact,  coupled  with  his  later  travels,  gives  the  raison  d^tre 
of  the  French  couplet  which  graces  the  title  page  of  his 
"Life."  It  reads: 

"  Un  voyageur  des  le  berce&u, 
Je  le  serais  jusqrf  au  tombeau.    .    .    ." 

During  his  residence  in  Italy  his  education  was  di 
rected  by  private  teachers,  and  geometry,  geography, 
history,  drawing  and  the  English  language  engaged 
his  attention.  He  developed  a  taste  for  reading,  and 
found  the  greatest  pleasure  in  books  of  travel,  greedily 
devouring  them  all.  He  declares,  probably  in  hyperbole, 
"  Before  twelve  years  of  age  I  had  read  the  great  Uni 
versal  history  and  one  thousand  volumes  of  books  on 
many  pleasing  or  interesting  subjects."  It  was  while 
he  dwelt  at  Leghorn  that  he  began  regular  herborizations, 
in  1795,  and  commenced  the  formation  of  a  herbal. 
From  what  he  himself  relates  it  would  appear  that  dur 
ing  this  period  he  was  allowed  the  fullest  liberty  and 
gave  full  bent  to  his  whims  or  wishes,  and  read  and 
studied  what  he  pleased.  He  congratulates  himself  that 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque,  7 

lie  had  wasted  no  time  on  dead  languages,  "but  had 
spent  it  in  learning  alone  and  by  mere  reading  ten  times 
more  than  is  taught  in  the  Schools." 

In  1796  Rafinesque  was  taken  to  Genoa,  and  the 
journal  of  this  tour  constituted  his  first  essay  of  the 
kind.  In  making  mention  of  this  journal  he  remarks 
that  he  had  done  the  same  ever  since  by  notes  or  journals. 
His  residence  varied  for  the  next  few  years  between 
Genoa,  Pisa,  and  Marseilles,  during  which  period  his 
training  was  successively  in  the  care  of  his  mother  and 
grandmother,  but  was  completed  by  himself.  During 
these  years  also  he  continued  his  botanical  studies  and 
"read  every  kind  of  books,  good  or  bad;  but  happily  I 
knew  how  to  distinguish  them."  To  his  studies  he  now 
added  natural  and  moral  philosophy,  chemistry,  and 
medicine.  It  is  not  to  be  understood,  I  take  it,  from 
these  remarks  of  Rafinesque  about  the  direction  assumed 
by  his  student-work  at  this  time  that  he  means  to  imply 
he  had  mastered  these  branches.  He  was  an  indefati 
gable  reader  and  no  doubt  read  every  thing  in  the  way 
of  books  that  came  to  hand,  and  books  on  these  subjects 
were  among  the  number.  In  a  curious  and  naive  way 
he  tells  us  about  his  nature  studies  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Marseilles,  where  his  botanical  walks  gave  him  much 
pleasure.  He  appears  first  of  all  to  have  devoted  him- 


8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

self  to  the  study  of  plants,  but  also  gave  much  attention 
to  other  branches  of  natural  history.     He  says: 

"  I  had  made  to  myself  a  small  garden  in  a  wild  and  remote 
place.  I  began  the  study  of  Fishes  and  Birds,  I  drew  them  and 
collected  Shells  and  Crabs.  Daudin,  of  Paris,  who  published  then 
a  natural  history  of  Birds,  was  my  first  correspondent  among  the 
learned,  and  I  communicated  to  him  some  observations  on  Birds. 
I  drew  maps,  copied  those  of  rare  works,  and  took  topographical 
surveys;  these  were  my  first  essays  in  geography." 

In  reading  Rafinesque's  account  of  a  hunting  episode 
which  took  place  near  Leghorn  in  1802,  one  will  be 
struck  with  the  similarity  of  his  experiences  and  those 
recorded  by  Charles  Darwin,  England's  great  naturalist.* 
Rafinesque  says:  "I  began  to  hunt,  but  the  first  bird 
I  shot  was  a  poor  Parus,  whose  death  appeared  a  cruelty 
to  me,  and  I  have  never  been  able  to  become  an  unfeel 
ing  hunter."  Darwin  had  the  same  feeling  for  animals, 
even  the  very  lowest,  and  never  allowed  himself  to  harm 
them  wilfully  or  knowingly. 

The  year  1802  marked,  in  the  spring,  the  end  of 
the  youthful  home  life  of  Rafinesque.  There  appears 
in  the  record  no  evidences  of  interest  in  matters  which 
should  prove  attractive  to  a  boy  of  his  years.  Whether 
he  ever  had  any  fondness  for  boyish  sports  and  games, 

»  Vide  Life  and  Letters  of  Charles  Darwin,  Vol.  I,  p.  28,  1887.  D.  Apple- 
ton  &  Co.,  New  York. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesq^le.  9 

whether  he  had  much  enjoyment  in  the  association  with 
other  youths,  whether  these  facts  had  not  great  influ 
ence  in  determining  his  attitude  toward  social  events 
in  after  years  can  all  be  but  matter  of  conjecture.  In 
recounting  the  facts  connected  with  his  early  life  Raf- 
inesque  omits  very  many  important  things  which  we 
should  enjoy  knowing,  but  enough  is  told  us  to  explain 
the  system  or  rather  the  lack  of  system  in  his  studies. 
Perhaps  this  will  explain  the  apparent  want  of  those 
closer  habits  of  application  which  characterize  the  best 
work  of  men  of  science.  The  record  simply  discloses 
that  he  essayed  every  branch  of  natural  science,  read 
oinnivorously,  made  copious  notes,  formed  ideas  which 
were  often  vague  and  never  afterward  matured,  and 
always  had  before  him  the  travels  and  work  of  the  great 
men  of  his  own  and  preceding  decades;  it  appears,  too, 
that  he  fondly  imagined  himself  about  to  become,  or 
that  he  had  already  become,  a  great  traveler.  It  is 
really  believed  that  this  period  of  great  mental  activity 
and  developing  powers  of  observation,  for  such  it  cer 
tainly  was,  had  he  been  firmly  guided  by  some  master 
hand,  would  have  given  the  world  one  of  its  greatest 
naturalists.  But  the  lack  of  coordination  of  powers  led 
to  habits,  both  of  thought  and  literary  effort,  that  had 
a  serious  influence,  in  after  years,  on  his  life  and  work. 


io  The  Life  and  Writings  of 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  AMERICA. 

Rafinesque  first  came  to  the  United  States,  in  com 
pany  with  his  younger  brother,  Anthony  Augustus,  in 
the  spring  of  1802,  "  provided  with  an  adventure  and 
many  letters  of  introduction".  He  landed  in  Philadel 
phia  April  1 8th.  With  a  mind  keenly  awake  to  nat 
ural  objects  it  is  not  surprising  that  at  once  he  again 
began  the  study  of  Nature,  probably  with  fresh  ardor 
born  of  new  surroundings  and  a  novel  flora.  Scarcely 
had  he  landed  in  his  new  home  before  he  began  botan 
izing,  and  found  a  cruciferous  plant  which  had  passed 
under  the  name  of  Draba  verna;  he  considered  it  new 
and  bestowed  upon  it  the  name  of  Draba  americana. 
Whether  a  formal  description  of  this  plant  was  ever 
written  by  Rafinesque  I  know  not;  it  is  not  mentioned 
ir  Watson's  "  Bibliographical  Index  to  North  American 
Botany",  which  contains  many  other  names  formulated 
by  Rafinesque,  so  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he  never 
presented  it  in  such  form.  But  he  remarks  of  this 
species  that  "the  American  Botanists  would  not  believe 
me;  but  Decandole  has  even  since  made  with  it  the 
new  Genus  Erophilal*  This  is  the  emblem  of  many 

*  Watson,  loc.  cit.,  p.  62,  regards  both  the  genus  and  species  of  DeCandolle 
as  synonyms,  and  retains  the  name  of  Draba  verna. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  n 

discoveries  of  mine  of  which  ignorance  has  doubted, 
till  science  has  proved  that  I  was  right."  To  us,  at 
this  time,  the  interesting  fact  connected  with  the  find 
ing  of  this  specimen  and  supposed  new  species  lies  in 
the  evidence  which  it  affords  that  Rafinesque  was  for 
ever  wedded  to  his  loves,  the  flowers.  Here  he  was,  at 
the  age  of  eighteen,  in  a  new  land,  on  fortune  bent,  in 
the  midst  of  strangers  who  spoke  a  strange  tongue,  yet 
he  at  once  turned  to  the  woods  and  fields,  a  real  student 
of  Nature,  and  averse  to  any  thing  else. 

The  Philadelphia  business  relations  of  Rafinesque 
were  those  which  eventually  determined  his  coming  to 
Kentucky  some  eighteen  years  afterward.  While  in  that 
city  he  came  into  relation  with  the  Cliffords,  owners  of 
the  vessel  which  brought  him  to  America;  also  here  he 
met  the  brothers  Tarascon,  formerly  of  Marseilles,  whose 
names  are  familiar  to  all  students  of  early  Kentucky 
history.  At  this  time  Rafinesque  was  busied  with  mer 
cantile  pursuits,  occupying  a  clerkship,  but  filled  all  his 
leisure  with  botanizing  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia. 
He  declares  that  during  this  period  he  minutely  de 
scribed  all  the  plants  found,  a  task  quite  characteristic 
of  the  man!  He  had  already  determined  upon  follow 
ing  the  footsteps  of  his  father,  and  devoted  himself  to 
mercantile  pursuits,  prosecuting  his  Nature  studies  in 


12  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

hours  of  leisure,  but  withal  with  serious  intent.  But 
now  came  again  the  yellow  fever,  in  the  summer  of 
1802,  of  which  Rafinesque  writes:  "Being  much  afraid 
of  this  disorder,  which  had  deprived  me  of  a  father,  I 
left  the  city  and  took  refuge  in  Germantown;  where 
I  had  the  good  luck  to  be  invited  by  Col.  Forrest,  a 
Friend  of  Horticulture,  to  dwell  with  him,  and  travel 
with  him  to  collect  Plants."  This  gave  him  a  summer 
of  travel  and  botany,  for  the  scourge  which  he  sought 
to  escape  did  not  disappear  until  the  following  October. 
A  considerable  number  of  excursions  about  Germantown, 
some  of  which  extended  into  New  Jersey  and  over  Kast- 
ern  Pennsylvania,  were  made  during  this  period.  While 
these  were  nothing  more  than  botanical  tramps,  such  as 
the  veriest  tyro  is  compelled  to  take  who  desires  an 
acquaintance  with  the  flora  of  any  locality,  Rafinesque 
dignifies  them  by  the  name  of  "journies";  in  this  pecul 
iarity  he  shows  in  a  remarkable  manner  the  influence 
of  his  early  reading.  If  not  yet  such,  he  surely  would 
be  a  veritable  Marco  Polo  or  von  Humboldt! 

During  this  stay  in  Philadelphia  Rafinesque  had 
frequent  opportunity  to  visit  the  botanical  gardens  of 
Marshall  and  Bartram,  the  former  of  which  was  not 
far  away  at  West  Chester.  Attention  will  again  be 
directed  to  these  gardens  in  connection  with  a  certain 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  13 

experience  of  Rafinesque  at  Lexington,  in  Kentucky, 
years  afterward;  the  reader  will  then  remember  that  all 
about  Marseilles,  where  Rafinesque  had  spent  much  of 
his  boyhood  life,  are  to  be  found  botanical  gardens  in 
which  he  must  often  have  been  as  student  and  collector. 

But  the  summer  spent  in  plant -hunting  and  other 
scientific  work,  very  congenial  to  the  disposition  of 
Rafinesque,  had  unfavorably  disposed  him  toward  a 
business  life.  The  irksome  quiet  of  the  office  had 
been  relieved  by  a  summer  with  the  birds  and  flowers, 
and  to  his  duties  he  returned  with  laggard  feet.  Not 
only  did  he  not  like  the  close  confinement  incident  to 
a  clerkship,  but  it  may  even  be  supposed  that  the 
emoluments  of  such  a  position  in  that  early  day  were 
certainly  not  in  excess  of  those  of  the  present  time; 
surely  in  such  career  those  ever  present  dreams  of  wide 
travel  and  learned  books  could  never  become  fact. 

In  1804  Rafinesque  resigned  his  position  in  favor  of 
his  brother,  of  whom  he  makes  no  other  mention  for 
all  this  time,  and  became  secretary  to  a  gentleman  by 
the  name  of  Gernon.  This  position  was  also  abandoned 
early  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year;  the  place  was 
one  "of  no  advantage",  and  then  he  could  not  withstand 
the  allurements  of  the  forests  and  fields.  His  whole 
time  was  now  given  to  the  collection  of  the  plants  and 


14  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

animals  about  the  city,  and  also  of  those  of  the  neigh 
boring  States.  He  extended  his  tours  into  Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  Delaware,  for  he  had  already  foreseen  that 
it  was  but  a  question  of  short  time  until  he  should  leave 
America.  He  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  and 
gathered  large  numbers  of  all  things  collectible.  Thus 
passed  the  period  until  January,  1805,  when  both  he  and 
his  brother,*  "who  would  follow"  him,  set  sail  for  Italy. 
In  May  he  became  a  resident  of  Sicily. 

TEN  YEARS  IN  SICILY. 

"This  lovely  Island"  was  reached  after  a  delightful 
voyage,  its  presence  having  been  foretold  "by  the  ema 
nations  of  orange  blossoms,  carried  far  at  sea  in  the 
night  by  the  land  breeze."  Says  he,  further,  "The 
mountains  were  smiling  with  flowers  and  verdure,  they 
invited  me  to  climb  over  them."  He  was  now  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  enthusiastic,  energetic,  habitually  care 
less  both  of  his  person  and  his  methods  of  study,  and 
about  to  enter  upon  a  scientific  career  of  the  greatest 
moment.  Here  he  began  that  extensive  series  of  pub 
lications,  record  of  which  has  been  attempted  in  the 
accompanying  bibliography. 

*This  brother  died  at  Havre,  1826, 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  15 

It  is  materially  unfortunate,  to  our  mind,  that  Raf- 
inesque  does  not,  in  his  "Life  of  Travels",  enter  some 
what  more  into  detail  respecting  his  home  life  in  Sicily. 
But  one  will  search  in  vain  for  a  single  word  on  these 
topics.  There  seems  to  have  been  abundant  reason  for 
not  mentioning  these  matters,  for  Rafinesque  married, 
in  1809,  a  Sicilian  woman  by  the  name  of  Josephine 
Vaccaro,  a  woman  who  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
suited  to  the  kind  of  life  the  naturalist  had  marked 
out  for  himself.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  this 
marriage  was  never  consummated  in  legal  form.  In  his 
will,*  from  which  alone  this  information  is  obtained,  he 
says:  "While  residing  in  Sicily  I  deemed  myself  law 
fully  married  .  .  .  although  the  decree  of  the  Council 
of  Trent  forbade  our  regular  marriage."  The  two  infer 
ences  which  may  safely  be  drawn  from  this  statement  are, 
first,  that  the  Sicilian  whom  he  espoused  was  a  Roman 
Catholic  in  religious  faith,  and,  second,  that  legal  or 
religious  rites  were  never  solemnized.  In  1811  a  daugh 
ter,  Emily,  was  born  to  the  couple,  and  in  1814  a  son, 
Charles  Linnaeus.  The  boy  died  the  following  year, 
1815.  Neither  child  is  mentioned  by  Rafinesque  in  all 
his  writings ;  in  his  will  alone  we  find  the  first  intima 
tion  of  paternity  and  of  parental  solicitude.  Of  the 

*  Vide  Appendix,  where  this  will  is  given  in  full. 


1 6  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

daughter  no  information  other  than  that  which  is  given 
in  this  document  has  been  attainable.  The  consort  of 
Rafinesque,  on  receiving  the  news  of  his  shipwreck  in 
1815,  "  suddenly  married  Giovanni  Pizzalour,  a  comedian," 
and  dissipated  the  property  which  Rafinesque  had  left 
in  her  hands.  All  that  is  further  known  of  this  woman 
is  the  opinion  in  which  she  was  held  by  Rafinesque, 
who,  in  his  will,  declares  her  to  be  "unworthy",  and 
directs  that  his  executors  shall  not  allow  her  "a  single 
cent";  he  also  directs  that  no  part  of  his  property 
should  be  paid  to  his  daughter  Emily  "until  she  leaves 
altogether  and  separates  from"  her  mother. 

Emily,  influenced  no  doubt  by  the  theatrical  relations 
of  the  new  family  bonds,  became  a  singer  in  the  Palermo 
Theatre.  She  was  the  mother  of  an  illegitimate  daugh 
ter,  Henrietta  Winston,  by  one  Sir  Henry  Winston,  for 
the  maintenance  of  which  grand-daughter  Rafinesque  was 
not  certain  the  baronet  would  provide ;  he  therefore  com 
mends  her,  in  his  will,  to  his  nephew,  Jules  Rafinesque. 
The  last  known  of  Emily  was  the  simple  fact  of  resi 
dence  in  Naples  in  1833. 

With  this  period  of  Rafinesque's  career  there  is  little 
of  direct  interest  to  us.  First  and  all  the  time  he  was 
a  naturalist;  though  his  real  concerns  here  were  of  a 
business  character.  It  would  appear,  from  his  account 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  17 

of  these  years,  that  he  was  reasonably  successful  in 
business  enterprises,  for  he  states  that  "by  trading  in 
the  products  of  the  island"  he  made  his  first  personal 
fortune.  It  is  curious  to  note  that  some  of  his  ventures 
were  along  the  line  of  economic  botany,  for  his  trade 
lay  in  the  manufacture  of  squills  for  the  European  and 
American  markets.  Rafinesque  first  taught  the  Sicilians 
many  things  of  this  sort,  thus  proving  himself,  though 
unwillingly,  another  Latinus  to  this  beautiful  island.  He 
became  quite  familiar  with  the  whole  island,  and  seems 
to  have  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  the  study  of 
every  form  of  life  within  its  area.  All  the  ten  years 
he  spent  here  were  full  of  toil  and  study.  They  were, 
on  the  whole,  very  happily  passed,  though  many  of  his 
business  employments  were  heterogeneous  and  peculiar. 
At  one  time  connected  with  the  United  States  legation 
as  secretary  or  chancellor  to  Minister  Gibbs,  at  another 
the  manager  of  a  successful  brandy-still  for  a  company  of 
gentlemen,  next  a  candidate  for  a  State  position  which 
he  never  obtained,  editor  of  a  magazine,  naturalist  and 
collector  always,  these  were  the  occupations  with  which 
he  filled  the  ten  years  of  Sicilian  life.  He  became  per 
sonally  and  by  correspondence  known  to  many  of  the 
scientific  men  of  Europe,  and  with  some  of  them  he 
had  very  pleasant  relations.  Swainson,  the  English  nat- 

3 


1 8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

uralist,  was  stationed  for  some  time  in  Sicily,  and  with 
him  Rafinesque  had  the  most  intimate  and  cordial  coop 
eration.  They  collected  and  studied  and  wrote  together. 
On  one  occasion,  when  the  vicissitudes  of  business  pre 
vented  personal  attention  on  the  part  of  Rafinesque, 
Swainson  supervised  the  printing,  at  Messina,  of  one 
of  his  friend's  books,  "The  Index  of  Sicilian  Ichthy 
ology  ".  During  these  years,  too,  the  habit  of  mind 
engendered  by  indiscriminate  reading  and  delving  into 
every  thing  natural  bore  its  proper  fruit;  for  a  time  he 
worked  at  volcanic  rocks  and  eruptions,  anon  found 
recreation  and  employment  in  tracing  the  remains  of 
ancient  settlements,  hunted  plants,  drew  and  described 
them,  collected  fish,  secured  large  numbers  of  shells, 
assisted  Swainson  in  hunting  insects,  worked  on  the 
reptiles,  and  withal  kept  up  a  voluminous  correspond 
ence  with  other  naturalists  in  France,  in  America,  and 
in  Italy.  In  truth  these  ten  years  were  very  busy 
ones,  an  estimate  of  the  work  of  which  is  offered  in  its 
proper  place.  His  experiences  with  the  natives  of  his 
chosen  home  do  not  appear  to  have  been  of  the  most 
pleasant  character.  In  his  description  of  Sicily  occurs 
almost  the  only  epigrammatic  writing  I  have  ever  noted 
in  Rafinesque's  works;  says  he,  "she  offers  ...  a  fruitful 
soil,  a  delightful  climate,  excellent  productions,  perfidious 
men,  deceitful  women," 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  19 


SECOND  VISIT  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

In  1815  Rafinesque  left  Sicily  and  Europe  forever. 
During  the  later  years  of  his  Sicilian  residence,  affairs, 
from  a  business  and  literary  standpoint,  had  not  pro 
gressed  satisfactorily;  he  apparently  did  not  regret  the 
fact  of  leaving  that  famous  island.  The  voyage  began 
in  July  and  ended  in  November.  Adverse  weather  con 
ditions  met  the  vessel  as  soon  as  the  Mediterranean  was 
cleared;  the  good  ship  suffered  the  ordeal  of  a  severe 
Atlantic  storm,  was  damaged  and  compelled  to  seek  a 
haven  in  the  Azores.  The  Island  of  St.  Michael  thus 
by  an  accident  became  an  object  of  botanical  interest  to 
Rafinesque.  He  collected  thereon,  observed  the  volcanic 
rocks,  drew  some  of  the  objects  found,  and  so  turned  a 
seeming  misfortune  to  the  best  account  possible. 

The  story  of  the  landing  of  Rafinesque  in  America 
for  the  second  time  reads  like  a  romance,  and  though 
there  are  many  who  profess  to  doubt  its  exact  truthful 
ness  I  must  confess  to  the  most  complete  credulity  in  its 
essential  correctness.  I  have  so  long  read  and  studied 
this  man,  am  so  familiar  with  his  character,  which  was 
open  and  honest,  have  so  great  an  admiration  for  that 
part  of  his  life  which  was  unclouded  by  mental  misfor- 


20  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

tune  that  I  will,  I  am  sure,  be  pardoned  for  expressing 
thus  strongly  my  belief  in  the.  truth  of  the  story  of 
shipwreck.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  incident  is  ex 
tremely  important  in  weighing  certain  facts  of  his  after 
life. 

It  was  midnight  of  the  second  of  November,  1815,  in 
a  dense  fog,  on  Race  Rock,  off  Fisher's  Island,  at  the 
eastern  end  of  Long  Island  Sound,  that  the  good  ship, 
which  had  brought  Rafinesque  and  his  possessions  across 
the  Atlantic  in  safety,  went  down.  Striking  on  the 
rocks,  her  keel  was  entirely  torn  away,  and  when  a  swell 
landed  her  beyond  the  rocks  she  rapidly  filled  and  sank. 
Down  with  her  went  the  results  of  years  of  toil  and  of 
labor,  both  mercantile  and  scientific.  To  quote  the  lan 
guage  of  the  sufferer: 

"  I  had  lost  everything,  my  fortune,  my  share  of  the  cargo,  my 
collections  and  labours  for  20  years  past,  my  books,  my  manu 
scripts,  my  drawings,  even  my  clothes  ...  all  that  I  possessed 
except  some  scattered  funds  and  the  Insurance  ordered  in  Kngland 
for  one  third  of  the  value  of  my  goods."* 

I  can  imagine  the  condition  of  this  man  under  these 
circumstances.  I  can  see  him  walking  the  streets  of 
New  London  "in  a  state  of  utter  despair".  Here,  in 
this  misfortune,  and  resulting  from  it,  began  that  mental 

*Vidc  "A  Life  of  Travels",  etc.,  pp.  48,  49. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  21 

condition  which  made  his  scientific  work  in  later  years 
subject  of  the  severest  criticism.  He  was  still  a  young 
man,  it  is  true,  having  seen  but  thirty-two  summers,  but 
those  who  have  studied  character  will  agree  that  this 
misfortune  affected  him  as  it  might  but  one  in  a  thou 
sand.  Of  this  loss  he  writes  as  follows: 

"Some  hearts  of  stone  have  since  dared  to  doubt  of  these  facts 
or  rejoice  at  my  losses!  Yes,  I  have  found  men,  vile  enough  to 
laugh  without  shame  at  my  misfortune,  instead  of  condoling  with 
me !  But  I  have  met  also  with  friends  who  have  deplored  my  loss, 
and  helped  me  in  need." 

Rafinesque  appears  never  again  to  have  known  pros 
perous  business  adventures.  He  belonged  to  that  large 
class  of  men,  from  this  time,  who  imagine  that  the 
hand  of  every  other  man  is  against  them. 

Leaving  New  London,  Rafinesque  went  to  New  York, 
where,  pending  the  settlement  of  his  insurance  claims 
in  London,  he  found  warm  friends.  With  Dr.  Samuel 
L.  Mitchill,  with  whom  he  had  enjoyed  a  correspondence 
while  yet  a  resident  of  Sicily,  and  to  whom  he  had  sent 
numerous  scientific,  chiefly  botanical,  papers,  he  found 
friendly  greeting  and  a  helpful  friendship.  The  neces 
sities  of  making  a  livelihood  led  him  to  accept  the 
position  of  private  tutor  in  a  wealthy  family  by  the 
name  of  Livingston,  residing  on  the  Hudson;  therein 


22  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

he  taught  Italian,  drawing,  and  botany.  It  is  more 
than  likely  that  the  introduction  which  Mitchill  gave 
Rafinesque  to  New  York  literary  society  helped  him 
to  this  place.  But  before  spring  he  resigned  this  post 
because  the  family  desired  to  spend  the  winter  in  the 
South.  He  again  became  a  child  of  fortune.  As  soon 
as  spring  had  sufficiently  advanced  he  devoted  his  time 
to  geology  and  to  the  collection  of  the  plants  which 
grew  about  New  York.  The  summer  following  he 
went  as  far  north  as  Saratoga,  and  spent  several  weeks 
at  the  series  of  falls  which  are  so  famous  in  Bast-central 
New  York.  In  a  similar  manner  was  passed  the  long 
period  of  the  four  following  years.  Then  he  went  to 
Philadelphia,  on  business  bent,  and  again  met  his  old 
friend  John  D.  Clifford,  known  to  all  students  of  Ken 
tucky  history,  who  was  and  had  been  for  some  time  a 
resident  of  Lexington.  In  him  he  found  a  warm  and 
sympathizing  friend,  and  was  persuaded  to  visit  the 
West,  which  then  meant  Kentucky. 

The  summer  of  1818  finds  the  monotony  of  Rafin- 
esque's  life  varied  by  a  journey  over  the  Alleghanies  and 
down  the  Ohio,  which  he  descended  from  Pittsburg  in  a 
flat-boat.  He  was  one  of  a  party  of  several  men,  who 
traveled  by  day  and  rested  by  night.  This  must  have 
suited  the  taste  of  Rafinesque,  who  could  thus  give  the 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  23 

greatest  possible  attention  to  his  loves,  the  flowers  and 
the  fishes  and  the  mollusks.  During  his  long  residence 
in  Sicily  he  had  done  much  work  on  the  fishes  of  the 
Mediterranean,  and  no  doubt  he  found  ample  opportunity 
in  the  long  days  of  slow  movement  down  the  Ohio  to 
arouse  again  his  intelligent  love  of  these  forms. 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  THE  FALLS  OF  THE  OHIO. 

The  party  with  which  Rafinesque  reached  Louisville 
found  its  haven  at  the  Falls.  At  Shippingport*  he 
was  "received  with  open  arms"  by  the  Messrs.  Tarascon, 
formerly  of  Marseilles  and  next  of  Philadelphia,  who 
now  operated  a  large  flouring -mill  at  that  place.  For 
two  weeks  he  remained  there,  and  one  who  has  ever  seen 
the  rich  molluscan  life  of  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  at  low 
water  might  understand  what  busy  weeks  these  were. 
Rafinesque  spent  the  time  "studying  the  fishes  and 
shells  of  the  river,  of  which  I  made  a  large  collection, 
drawing  them  on  the  spot  at  the  same  time.  I  was  sur 
prized  to  find  them  nearly  all  new:  this  rendered  my 
researches  still  more  important  and  interesting." 

*Shippiugport  is  now  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  of  Louisville, 
at  the  foot  of  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio. 


24  The  Life  and  Writings  of 


THE  VISIT  TO  HENDERSON. 

Extensive  botanical  and  other  collections  were  made 
by  Rafinesque  all  the  way  from  Louisville  to  Henderson ; 
the  trip  being  made  by  day,  that  he  might  better  study 
the  plants  and  fishes  and  shells.  Arrived  at  Henderson 
he  sought  John  J.  Audubon,  the  ornithologist,  to  whom 
he  had  a  note  of  introduction  and  with  whom  he  remained 
several  days.  Rafinesque  says  "  some  days";  Audubon 
himself  says  "three  weeks". 

In  this  connection,  perhaps  better  than  in  any  other, 
reference  may  be  made  to  an  episode  which  Audubon 
has  recorded  of  Rafinesque.  With  some  reluctance,  in 
this  place,  is  the  incident  again  related,  not  because  it 
will  have  harmful  effect  in  judging  the  work  of  Rafin 
esque,  but  because  it  must  needs  detract  much  from  the 
fame  of  Audubon,  whose  reputation  for  strict  truthfulness 
was  never  of  the  best  among  those  who  knew  him.  It 
serves  to  explain  some  features  of  the  great  ornitholo 
gist's  life  and  strengthens  the  unfavorable  opinion  which 
some  entertain  of  him;  it  serves  also  to  throw  light 
upon  the  plain,  straight  -  forward,  trusting  character  of 
Rafinesque.  When  the  story  is  read  between  the  lines 
the  effect  on  the  reader  would  appear  to  be  most  favorable 
to  the  victim. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  25 

Auduboii  introduces  Rafinesque  as  the  "  Kccentric 
Naturalist",*  the  humor  of  which  has  so  appealed  to 
very  many  writers  that  they  have  been  constrained  to 
reproduce  the  episode  without  much  interest  in  the  man 
it  most  affects.  Audubon  nowhere  gives  the  name  of  his 
victim,  but  it  is  understood  that  the  "M.  de  T."  is  none 
other  than  Rafinesque.  The  account  runs  as  follows: 

"'What  an  odd-looking  fellow!'  said  I  to  myself,  as,  while  walk 
ing  by  the  river,  I  observed  a  man  landing  from  a  boat,  with  what 
I  thought  a  bundle  of  dried  clover  on  his  back.  '  How  the  boatmen 
stare  at  him !  Surely  he  must  be  an  original ! '  He  ascended  with 
rapid  step,  and,  approaching  me,  asked  if  I  could  point  out  the  house 
in  which  Mr.  Audubon  resided?  'Why,  I  am  the  man,'  said  I,  'and 
will  gladly  lead  you  to  my  dwelling.'  The  traveller  rubbed  his 
hands  together  with  delight,  and  drawing  a  letter  from  his  pocket 
handed  it  to  me  without  any  remark.  I  broke  the  seal  and  read 
as  follows :  '  My  Dear  Audubon  —  I  send  you  an  odd  fish,  which  you 
may  prove  to  be  undescribed,  and  hope  you  will  do  so  in  your  next 
letter.  Believe  me  always  your  friend,  B.' 

"  With  all  the  simplicity  of  a  woodsman,  I  asked  the  bearer 
where  the  odd  fish  was;  when  M.  de  T.  .  .  .  smiled,  rubbed  his 
eyes,  and  with  the  greatest  good  humor  said,  '  I  am  that  odd  fish, 
I  presume,  Mr.  Audubon.'  I  felt  confounded  and  blushed,  but 
contrived  to  stammer  an  apology. 

"We  soon  reached  the  house,  when  I  presented  my  learned 
guest  to  my  family,  and  was  ordering  a  servant  to  go  to  the  boat 
for  M.  de  T.'s  luggage,  when  he  told  me  he  had  none  but  what  he 
brought  on  his  back.  He  then  loosened  the  pack  of  weeds  which 

*Vide  Ornithological  Biography,  Vol.  I,  pp.  455-460. 
4 


26  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

had  first  drawn  my  attention.  The  ladies  were  a  little  surprised, 
but  I  checked  their  critical  glances  for  the  moment.  The  naturalist 
pulled  off  his  shoes,  and  while  engaged  in  drawing  his  stockings, 
not  up,  but  down,  in  order  to  cover  the  holes  about  the  heels,  told 
us  in  the  gayest  mood  imaginable  that  he  had  walked  a  great  dis 
tance,  and  had  only  taken  a  passage  on  board  the  ark,  to  be  put  on 
this  shore,  and  that  he  was  sorry  his  apparel  had  suffered  so  much 
from  his  late  journey.  Clean  clothes  were  offered  but  he  would  not 
accept  them,  and  it  was  with  evident  reluctance  that  he  performed 
the  lavations  usual  on  such  occasions  before  he  sat  down  to  dinner. 

"  He  chanced  to  turn  over  the  drawing  of  a  plant  quite  new  to 
him.  After  inspecting  it  closely,  he  shook  his  head,  and  told  me  no 
such  plant  existed  in  nature:  —  for  M.  de  T.  although  a  highly 
scientific  man,  was  suspicious  to  a  fault,  and  believed  such  plants 
only  to  exist  as  he  had  himself  seen,  or  such  as,  having  been  dis 
covered  of  old,  had,  according  to  Father  Malebranche's  expression, 
acquired  a  '  venerable  beard.'  I  told  my  guest  that  the  plant  was 
common  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  and  that  I  would  show  it 
to  him  on  the  morrow.  'And  why  to-morrow,  Mr.  Audubon?  L,et 
us  go  now.'  We  did  so ;  and  on  reaching  the  river  I  pointed  to  the 
plant.  I  thought  M.  de  T.  had  gone  mad.  He  plucked  the  plants 
one  after  another,  danced,  hugged  me  to  his  arms,  and  exultingly 
told  me  that  he  had  got,  '  Not  merely  a  new  species,  but  a  new 
genus.' 

"  When  it  waxed  late,  I  showed  him  to  the  apartment  intended 
for  him  during  his  stay,  and  endeavored  to  render  him  comfortable, 
leaving  him  writing  materials  in  abundance.  I  was,  indeed,  heartily 
glad  to  have  a  naturalist  under  my  roof.  We  had  all  retired  to  rest. 
Every  person  I  imagined  was  in  deep  slumber,  save  myself,  when 
of  a  sudden  I  heard  a  great  uproar  in  the  naturalist's  room.  I  got 
up,  reached  the  place  in  a  few  moments,  and  opened  the  door,  when, 
to  my  astonishment,  I  saw  my  guest  running  about  the  room  naked, 
holding  the  handle  of  my  favorite  violin,  the  body  of  which  he  had 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  27 

battered  to  pieces  against  the  walls  in  attempting  to  kill  the  bats, 
which  had  entered  by  the  open  window,  probably  attracted  by  the 
insects  flying  around  his  candle.  I  stood  amazed,  but  he  continued 
running  around  and  round,  until  he  was  fairly  exhausted;  when 
he  begged  me  to  procure  one  of  the  animals  for  him,  as  he  felt 
convinced  they  belonged  to  a  'new  species'.  Although  I  was  con 
vinced  to  the  contrary,  I  took  up  the  bow  of  my  demolished  Cremona, 
and  administering  a  smart  tap  to  each  of  the  bats  as  it  came  up, 
soon  got  specimens  enough. 

"  M.  de  T.  remained  with  us  for  three  weeks  and  collected  multi 
tudes  of  plants,  shells,  bats,  and  fishes.  .  .  .  We  were  perfectly 
reconciled  to  his  oddities,  and  finding  him  a  most  agreeable  and 
intelligent  companion,  hoped  that  his  sojourn  might  be  of  long 
duration.  But  one  evening,  when  tea  was  prepared,  and  we  expected 
him  to  join  the  family,  he  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  His  grasses 
and  other  valuables  were  all  removed  from  his  room.  The  night 
was  spent  in  searching  for  him  in  the  neighborhood.  No  eccentric 
naturalist  could  be  discovered.  Whether  he  had  perished  in  a 
swamp,  or  had  been  devoured  by  a  bear  or  gar-fish,  or  had  taken 
to  his  heels,  were  matters  of  conjecture;  nor  was  it  until  some 
weeks  after,  that  a  letter  from  him,  thanking  us  for  our  attention, 
assured  me  of  his  safety." 

That  this  incident,  so  charmingly  told,  is  amusing, 
its  popularity  with  other  writers  full  well  attests,  but 
it  contains  certain  internal  incongruities  that  lead  one 
to  suspect  that  it  is  grossly  exaggerated.  Particularly 
does  this  impression  grow  on  one  who  reads  carefully 
that  portion,  omitted  here,  which  recounts  the  famous 
bear  and  cane-brake  episode.  There  could  have  been 
but  one  purpose  in  Audubon's  mind,  and  that  was  to 


28  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

make  the  hero  of  the  episode  as  ridiculous  as  possible. 
The  story  never  found  its  way  into  print  until  Rafinesque 
had  for  some  years  ceased  to  be  a  resident  of  the  State, 
and  even  then,  in  its  original  form,  dared  not  name  him 
as  the  real  hero !  But  this  failure  to  name  Rafinesque 
makes  the  turpitude  of  Audubon  the  greater.  And  add 
to  this  another  episode  in  itself  far  less  harmful  than 
the  bat  story,  but  infinitely  more  disreputable  in  its 
nature  and  results,  and  the  reader  of  Rafinesque  has  just 
cause  of  complaint.  Audubon  played  upon  the  credulity 
of  his  guest,  who  had  implicit  confidence  in  him  as  a 
brother  naturalist.  The  host  simply  lied  to  Rafiuesque, 
and  seeing  him  eagerly  accept  the  proffered  bait  still 
further  abused  his  confidence  and  did  a  most  unmanly 
act,  one  which  has  caused  great  annoyance  and  loss  of 
time  to  succeeding  naturalists.  Audubon  drew  figures 
of  some  impossible  fish,  giving  them  gaudy  coloration 
and  glowing  descriptions,  and  supplied  Rafinesque  with 
what  purported  to  be  notes  of  fact ;  all  of  these  Rafinesque 
duly  copied  into  his  own  note-book.  Furthermore,  the 
host  described  to  his  guest  impossible  limpet-like  shells, 
said  to  live  in  the  Ohio,  and  these  were  likewise  carefully 
noted.  Later,  Rafinesque  used  these  so-called  facts  as  the 
bases  of  new  genera  and  species ;  then  Audubon  employed 
the  data  known  only  to  himself  to  make  Rafinesque  ridic- 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  29 

ulous.*  I  have  long  had  a  suspicion  that  Audubon  had 
taken  the  whole  naturalist  world  into  his  confidence,  in 
many  of  his  bird  biographies,  and  that  some  of  his  facts 
would  sometime  result  in  romances.  The  more  I  know 
of  him  and  his  methods  the  more  I  am  convinced  that 
this  is  true.  But,  in  this  case,  a  guest  was  made  the 
innocent  victim  of  misplaced  confidence  in  his  host; 
and  the  host  in  the  role  of  a  confidence  man  never 
inspires  faith.  Men  to  whom  Audubon  told  the  tale, 
attempting  to  justify  it  as  a  joke,  have  used  the  facts 
to  the  detriment  of  the  fair  fame  of  Rafinesque.f 

FROM  HENDERSON  TO  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

Rafinesque  left  Henderson  and  the  home  of  Audubon 
for  a  journey  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  which  point  he 
reached  as  the  farthest  point  in  all  his  western  travels. 
On  his  way  he  passed  through  New  Harmony,  Indiana, 
which  was  then  one  of  the  great  scientific  centers  of  the 

New  World.     In  that  quiet  town  on  the  Lower  Wabash 

» 

*Vide  Contributions  to  North  American  Ichthyology,  I,  p.  6,  1877.  Also, 
Rafinesque,  by  David  Starr  Jordan,  in  Popular  Science  Monthly,  Vol.  XXIX, 
No.  II,  p.  217,  June,  1886. 

tThe  following  are  the  names  ol"  fishes  bestowed  upon  the  "drawings 
communicated  by  Mr.  Audubon  " :  Perca  nigropunctata,  Aplocentrus  calliops, 
Pogostoma  leucops,  Catostomus  anisopturus,  Catosfomus  niger,  Catostomus 
fasciolaris,  Catostomus  (?)  megastomus,  Pylodictis  limosus,  Accipenser  macros- 
tomus,  Dinectus  truncatus. 


30  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

dwelt  Say,  and  Owen,  and  Maclure,  and  LeSeuer,  names 
all  yet  held,  and  deservedly,  in  the  highest  honor.  He 
did  not  long  remain  in  that  retired  place,  the  foundation 
principles  of  which  impressed  Rafinesque  with  its  Uto 
pian  character.  Much  of  the  return  journey  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio  was  accomplished  on  foot,  "having 
found  the  horse  too  fatiguing".  His  destination  was 
Lexington,  but  he  went  by  way  of  Louisville  in  order 
that  his  collections  might  be  put  in  the  care  of  his 
friends,  the  Tarascons,  and  by  them  transmitted  to  Pitts- 
burg.  Rafinesque  had  not  yet  knowledge  of  the  fact  that 
he  would  become  a  resident  of  Kentucky.  His  only  care 
was  to  make  as  large  collections  as  possible  and  get 
them  safely  away  to  Philadelphia. 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  LEXINGTON. 

It  was  a  roundabout  way  that  carried  Rafinesque  to 
Lexington  on  his  first  visit.  The  towns  of  Shepherds ville 
and  Frankfort  were  visited  and  several  side  excursions 
taken.  At  length  he  reached  Lexington  and  found  his 
former  Philadelphia  friend,  Clifford.  This  visit  and  the 
kindness  of  his  reception,  together  with  the  opportunities 
for  study  and  collecting  that  seemed  to  present  them 
selves,  coupled  with  the  persuasions  of  his  friend,  deter- 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  31 

mined  Rafinesque  to  come  to  Kentucky,  and  this  he  did 
after  a  visit  to  Philadelphia  to  "settle  my  concerns  and 
withdraw  from  trade".  The  chief  fact  that  influenced 
him  to  this  decision  appears  to  have  been  the  promise  of 
Clifford  to  secure  for  him  an  appointment  to  a  professor 
ship  in  Transylvania  University.  Clifford  was  himself 
an  enthusiastic  geologist  and  indefatigable  collector;  he 
had  amassed  a  considerable  collection  of  fossils,  and 
these  helped  Rafinesque  in  reaching  a  decision.  More 
over,  Clifford  looked  with  great  favor  on  the  scientific 
work  of  his  guest,  and  one  may  well  be  sure  that  the 
guest  appreciated  this  fact.  Already  Rafinesque  had 
been  made  aware  of  the  hostile  feeling  that  many  men 
of  science  entertained  toward  him,  for  to  some  of  them 
he  had  shown  himself  a  formidable  rival. 

The  visit  to  Philadelphia  again  gave  Rafinesque  occa 
sion  to  know  something  of  the  perfidy  of  man  and 
especially,  it  may  be  supposed,  of  Sicilians.  He  had 
intrusted  certain  of  his  business  adventures  to  a  Sicilian, 
who  proved  false  to  his  trust  and  bankrupted  and 
defrauded  him  of  all  his  earnings.  Finally,  however,  a 
start  westward  was  made,  business  affairs  left  behind, 
goods  shipped,  and  for  the  third  time  Rafinesque  crossed 
the  Alleghanies.  The  journey  began  in  May,  1819,  and 
ended  in  the  heart  of  the  bluegrass  region  of  Kentucky 


32  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

in  middle  summer.  Rafinesque  found  the  University 
in  the  midst  of  vacation,  and  hastened  to  join  Clifford, 
who  was  spending  the  summer  in  scientific  recreation 
in  the  country. 

RAFINESQUE  AT  TRANSYLVANIA  UNIVERSITY. 

The  institution  to  which  Rafinesque  had  now  come 
had  a  stormy  career.  It  was  the  outcome  of  an  act  of 
the  legislature  of  Kentucky  which  had  amalgamated  two 
earlier  and  rival  schools,  the  fact  having  been  consum 
mated  in  1798.  The  two  institutions  whose  fortunes 
were  thus  joined  were  the  Transylvania  Seminary,  estab 
lished  in  1783  by  the  Virginia  Legislature,  and  the 
Kentucky  Academy,  established  by  the  Presbyterians  in 
1796.  Considerations  of  economy,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  evident  fact  that  rivalry  such  as  theirs  would  only 
result  in  permanent  injury  to  both  schools,  on  the  other, 
led  to  the  amalgamation.  The  University  was  now  under 
the  celebrated  Holly  regime,  its  president,  the  third  to 
hold  the  office,  being  the  Reverend  Horace  Holly,  LL.  D. 

Rafinesque  became  connected  with  this  school  in  the 
fall  of  1819,  and  at  a  time  when  there  were  internal 
dissensions.  To  this  untoward  condition  must  be  added 
the  fact  that  he  was  a  stranger,  of  foreign  birth  and 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  33 

with  foreign  air,  and,  further,  there  must  be  considered 
the  fact  that  his  chair  was  new  and  counted  of  but 
little  importance.  Those  were  the  days  of  a  classical 
education,  purely  and  simply,  and  there  was  no  interest 
in  any  other  roots  than  those  of  Latin  and  Greek  origin 
or  in  leaves  of  other  sort  than  those  which  had  the 
cabalistic  signs  of  men  who  thought  and  wrote  two  thou 
sand  or  more  years  ago.  He  who  could  quote  freely 
and  at  length  from  Horace  or  Juvenal,  or  could  see  in 
Pindar  and  Demosthenes  meanings  of  which  they  them 
selves  never  dreamt,  was  the  educated  man.*  It  mattered 
not  how  little  he  might  know  of  gravitation  or  of 
dynamics,  of  bugs  or  of  plants,  if  only  he  knew  our 
ancient  Latin  friends;  his  education  was  then  complete. 
Amid  literary  surroundings  such  as  these  Rafinesque 
now  found  a  home.  It  would  be  difficult  indeed  to  find 
another  degree  of  literary  difference  so  marked  as  that 
between  Rafinesque  and  his  associate  professors.  They 
were,  in  tastes  and  pursuits,  as  unlike  as  men  could  be; 

*It  needs  only  in  support  of  this  statement  that  attention  be  called  to 
the  character  of  the  articles  which  constitute  the  bulk  of  the  Western  Review 
and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  published  at  Lexington,  about  this  time.  Its 
pages  contain  many  labored  literary  articles,  and  not  a  few  philosophical  ones, 
in  which  classical  training  ran  amuck  through  all  the  fields  of  knowledge, 
compelling  attention  to  its  demands  to  the  exclusion  of  all  else.  The  political 
articles,  which  appeared  from  time  to  time,  continually  refer  to  Greece  and 
to  Rome,  to  Xerxes,  to  Hannibal,  to  Epictetus,  to  Caesar,  and  to  Augustus. 

5 


34  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

their  intercourse  was  necessarily  a  continual  contrast 
of  ideas  and  theories  determined,  on  the  one  hand,  by 
effete  philosophical  systems,  and,  on  the  other,  by  hasty 
generalizations  based  upon  incomplete  knowledge  of 
natural  surroundings.  It  was,  in  epitome,  a  renewal 
of  the  long-continued  warfare  between  the  classics  and 
science,  without  that  tempering  of  zeal  and  expression 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  real  culture  or  of  exact 
knowledge.  Rafinesque  brought  to  the  Kentucky  metrop 
olis  of  that  day  the  habits  of  thought  and  views  of 
State  polity  which  were  the  outgrowth  of  his  foreign 
birth  and  residence.  From  Sicily  to  Kentucky  was 
indeed  a  great  change;  little  wonder  is  it  that  he  did 
not  speedily  adapt  himself  to  these  new  conditions. 
Evidently,  his  real  place  among  his  colleagues  must  be 
estimated  along  other  lines  than  those  which  found  ex 
pression  through  his  associates  in  Transylvania  Univer 
sity.  The  beginning  of  the  Kentucky  life  of  Rafinesque 
was  marked  by  a  signal  misfortune.  With  Clifford  he  was 
planning  numerous  excursions,  one  at  least  of  which  con 
templated  a  visit  to  Arkansas,  when  Clifford  succumbed 
to  a  sudden  fatal  illness.  In  this  blow  Rafinesque  lost 
the  only  man  whom,  as  I  believe,  he  ever  loved.  In 
vain  will  you  search  his  published  writings  for  ex 
pressions  of  regard  for  others,  whether  men  or  women; 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  35 

the  only  name  mentioned  tenderly  and  with  evident 
regard  is  that  of  Clifford.  Of  all  the  men  with  whom 
Rafinesque  came  in  contact  Clifford  alone  seemed  to 
enter  into  the  life  of  the  naturalist,  and  the  influence 
of  that  association  was  greater  than  all  the  world  beside. 
The  seven  years  of  life  at  Lexington  were  very  busy 
ones  for  Rafinesque.  He  made  many  excursions,  some 
of  which  extended  into  Tennessee,  and  during  which 
nearly  all  the  accessible  portions  of  Kentucky  were 
visited.  He  made  most  extensive  collections,  chiefly  in 
conchology  and  botany,  though  he  neglected  no  branch 
of  natural  science.  Numerous  papers  were  written,  and 
many  of  them  published;  at  the  same  time  he  attended 
to  the  ordinary  duties  of  the  class-room.  He  was  the 
secretary  of  the  Kentucky  Institute,  the  first  scientific 
society  formed  within  the  State,  and  one  of  the  first, 
if  not  the  first,  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  Doctor  Horace 
Holly  was  the  President  of  the  Institute,  before  which 
a  number  of  persons,  and  Rafinesque  most  of  all,  read 
scientific  papers.  Some  of  these  were  afterward  printed 
in  the  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette.  The  exploration 
and  mapping  of  the  ancient  monuments  which  are  near 
Lexington  were  accomplished  during  these  years.  But 
the  most  remarkable  work  of  all  was  the  preparation 
of  the  Ichthyologia  Ohiensis,  which  has  caused  such 


36  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

criticism  from  students  of  American  fresh-water  fishes. 
More  will  be  said  of  this  remarkable  book  in  another 
place. 

Attention  has  previously  been  directed  to  the  Botanic 
Gardens  with  which  Rafinesque  was  acquainted  at  Mar 
seilles,  and  to  those  of  Bartram  and  Marshall  near  Phila 
delphia.  One  of  the  ambitions  of  his  life  was  the 
foundation  of  similar  gardens  at  Lexington.  To  accom 
plish  this  he  spent  much  time  and  developed  a  wonder 
ful  amount  of  energy.  In  1823  ne  brought  the  matter 
to  the  attention  of  the  State  legislature,  at  Frankfort, 
with  such  success  that  the  senate  passed  the  bill  to 
establish  the  proposed  garden  at  Lexington;  the  house 
refused  its  sanction  and  the  bill  failed  to  become  law. 
Though  disheartened  by  this  result  Rafinesque  did  not 
wholly  despair.  He  undertook  the  private  solicitation 
of  funds,  the  scheme  contemplating  the  formation  of 
a  joint  stock  company.  His  friends  and  others  inter 
ested  in  the  undertaking  succeeded  so  far  as  to  get  the 
projected  garden  incorporated.  Ground  was  purchased 
within  the  village  of  Lexington;*  planting  was  begun; 

*The  Kentucky  Reporter  of  the  issue  of  Monday,  November  22,  1824,  has 
editorial  mention  of  the  purchase  of  the  land  for  this  garden.  The  location 
was  the  upper  end  of  Main  Street,  and  comprised  ten  acres.  A  Mr.  Harper 
was  the  treasurer  of  the  company  "  on  whom  the  stockholders  are  expected 
to  call  and  pay  the  1st  and  2d  installments  on  their  shares." 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  37 

but  many  who  had  subscribed  failed  to  meet  their  obli 
gations  and  the  attempt  was  at  last  entirely  abandoned. 
His  dreams  were  never  realized.  He  says  of  the  under 
taking,  long  after  its  collapse,  "I  never  owned  an  acre 
of  ground;  this  garden  would  have  been  my  delight: 
I  had  traced  the  plan  of  it,  with  a  retreat  among  the 
flowers,  a  Green-house,  Museum  and  Library;  but  I  had 
to  forsake  it  at  last,  and  make  again  my  garden  of  the 
woods  and  mountains."  Nothing  of  historic  importance 
grew  out  of  the  enterprise;  nor  could  such  result  have 
been  expected  in  this  inland  village  at  such  an  early 
day.  Aside  from  Rafinesque  there  was  probably  not  a 
single  person  in  Lexington  who  knew  any  thing  of  the 
real  nature  and  cost  of  these  enterprises ;  nor  did  he, 
seemingly,  remember  the  existing  untoward  conditions 
under  which  the  enterprise  was  bound  to  end  in  failure. 
The  scheme  could  not  appeal  to  the  cupidity  of  those  to 
whom  stock  was  offered,  for  every  dollar  put  in  it  went 
in  to  stay  from  the  very  nature  of  things.  Scientific 
interest  was  impossible  in  men  trained  to  other  habits 
of  thought,  nor  were  the  times  ripe  for  the  expenditures 
of  considerable  sums  of  money  in  a  community  still 
contending  with  a  virgin  forest  for  the  very  mastery  of 
the  fields  themselves.  The  episode,  however,  serves  a 
useful  purpose  in  that  it  emphasizes  the  influence  on 


38  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

the  life  of  Rafinesque  of  the  surroundings  of  his  boy 
hood  days. 

In  connection  with  the  attempt  to  secure  favorable 
legislative  action  in  the  matter  of  the  Botanic  Garden 
a  serious  illness  resulting  from  exposure  to  a  prevailing 
epidemic  enters  into  the  record  in  such  manner  as  to 
illustrate  another  side  of  Rafinesque's  life.  He  says : 
"I  took  the  measles  then  prevailing,  and  was  very  sick 
on  my  return  to  Lexington ;  but  I  recovered  in  spite  of 
the  Physicians,  by  taking  none  of  their  poisons,  anti 
mony  and  opium,  while  many  died  in  their  hands." 
Clearly  Rafinesque  had  little  regard  for  the  disciples  of 
^sculapius ! 

According  to  the  account  contained  in  the  "Life  of 
Travels",  with  the  governing  body,  or  better,  perhaps, 
the  executive  head  at  Transylvania,  Rafinesque  did 
not  rnjoy  the  most  pleasant  relations.  Doctor  Horace 
Holly,  the  President,  did  not  look  with  favor  on  the 
natural  sciences,  and  having  himself  no  especial  training 
in  them  was  not  prepared,  perhaps,  to  appreciate  their 
importance.  Nor  were  the  relations  which  Rafinesque 
sustained  toward  his  associate  professors  more  cordial. 
He  complains  that  they  intrigued  one  against  another,* 

*  There  does  not  seem  to  be  sufficient  warrant  for  this  statement  of  Rafiu- 
esque.  General  and  ex-Senator  George  W.  Jones,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  who  was  a 


Constantine  Samuet  Rafinesqite.  $9 

and  that  there  was  little  "  subordination  among  the 
students". 

It  can  not  be  positively  stated  that  the  frequent  and 
long  excursions,  which  Rafinesque  made  while  a  professor 
at  Transylvania  University,  were  allowed  to  interfere  with 
his  lecture  appointments  or  his  other  class-room  work, 
but  it  would  seem  incredible  that  they  did  not.  He  was 
engrossed  in  his  field-work,  surrounded  with  a  flora  both 
new  and  beautiful,  a  circumstance  in  itself  calculated  to 
appeal  strongly  to  the  heart  of  the  naturalist;  shells  and 
fishes  totally  unknown  and  often  unique  furnished  addi 
tional  inducement  to  relieve  the  weary  monotony  of  the 
class-room.  It  even  may  be  surmised,  with  strong  degree 
of  probability,  that  some  of  the  dissensions  of  which  he 
speaks  were  to  be  referred  to  this  probable  interference 
for  their  origin.  But  among  the  causes,  whatever  else 
they  may  have  been,  must  be  considered  that  of  a  certain 
autocratic  bearing  and  distaste  for  the  opinions  of  others 
which  is  said  to  have  been  quite  characteristic  of  him. 

student  in  Transylvania  University,  and  who  was  graduated  in  1825,  writes  me 
in  answer  to  enquiries  on  this  subject  as  follows :  "  I  never  knew  of  any  dis 
agreements  between  the  professors  in  Transylvania  University,  but  I  recollect 
how  bigotted  religionists  in  Lexington  and  in  Kentucky  persecuted  President 
Holly  and  drove  him  from  the  head  of  the  institution  in  1826,  then  the  most 
distinguished  in  the  whole  world.  .  .  .  The  university  went  down  and  was  an 
irreparable  loss  to  society  and  to  learning  from  the  moment  President  [Holly] 
left  the  institution." 


40  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

He  was  widely  read  and  kept  in  touch  with  most  of 
the  work  of  his  day,  but  he  does  not  seem  to  have 
clearly  interpreted  all  of  his  authors.  In  another  place 
will  be  found  an  estimate  of  his  literary  style  which,  as 
attested  by  the  very  voluminous  bibliography  published 
from  Lexington,  was  none  too  clear;  he  delved  in  every 
field  of  knowledge,  and  covered  in  his  reading  and  his 
writings  almost  every  field  of  research.  Subjects  meteor 
ological,  geological,  botanical,  chemical,  veterinary,  astro 
nomical,  philological,  theological,  engaged  his  attention, 
and  were  all  made  matter  for  several  memoirs.  He 
even  attempted  poetry,  sometimes  in  Latin,  or  French, 
or  English.  These  facts  simply  attest  the  work  of  a 
mind  devoid  of  the  power  of  concentration.  That  these 
peculiarities  were  known  to  his  associate  professors  is 
certain;  that  this  knowledge  had  some  influence  in 
determining  their  judgments  of  him  is  equally  evident. 
In  1823  Rafinesque  undertook  a  considerable  journey 
across  Middle  Kentucky  and  into  Tennessee,  reaching 
the  Tennessee  River.  The  unsettled  character  of  the 
country  only  prevented  him  from  making  the  journey 
westward  to  the  Mississippi.  On  the  return  trip  he 
visited  Mammoth  Cave,  of  which  he  says,  "I  spent 
one  day  to  survey  it,  and  found  it  very  different  from 
the  printed  exagerated  accounts,  but  yet  wonderful 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  ^ 

enough."  Lexington  was  reached  in  July,  and  in  August 
and  September  the  regions  of  Eastern  Kentucky,  as  far 
as  Cumberland  Gap  and  the  Falls,  to  Pine  Mountain, 
were  explored.  This  journey  was  the  last  that  Rafinesque 
made  within  the  bounds  of  Kentucky. 

While  resident  at  Lexington  Rafinesque  had  perfected 
a  "patent  and  Divitial  Invention,"  which,  in  1825, 
prompted  a  journey  to  Washington  to  take  caveats  and 
patents.  This  is  described  in  the  following  language: 
"This  Invention  consisted  chiefly  in  rendering  Bank 
Stock  and  Deposits  and  Savings  circulable  by  divisible 
Certificates;  which  will  one  day  be  certainly  adopted.  .  .  ." 
This  has  always  been  the  basis  of  the  claim  of  Rafinesque 
that  he  was  the  inventor  of  the  coupon  system  now  so 
common  on  bonds  and  similar  instruments.  It  was  on 
the  return  from  this  journey  that  he  "  found  how  the 
President  of  the  University  had  behaved"  in  his  absence. 
He  censured  that  official  in  no  measured  terms ;  said  he : 

"  I  returned  to  Frankfort  and  to  Lexington,  .  .  .  To  evince 
his  hatred  against  sciences  and  discoveries,  he  had  broken  open  my 
rooms,  given  one  to  the  students,  and  thrown  all  my  effects,  books 
and  collections  in  a  heap  in  the  other.  He  had  also  deprived  me 
of  my  position  as  Librarian  and  my  board  in  the  College.  I  had 
to  put  up  with  all  this  to  avoid  beginning  law  suits.  I  took  lodgings 
in  town  and  carried  there  all  my  effects:  thus  leaving  the  College 
with  curses  on  it  and  Holly ;  who  were  both  reached  by  them  soon 
after,  since  he  died  next  year  at  sea  of  the  Yellow  fever,  caught  at 

6 


42  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

New  Orleans,  having  been  driven  from  Lexington  by  public  opinion  : 
and  the  College  has  been  burnt  in  1828  with  all  its  contents.  But 
Clifford's  cabinet  was  saved  (like  mine)  by  being  removed  previously 
like  mine,  and  is  now  partly  in  Cincinnati  and  partly  in  Philadelphia. 
This  was  a  lucky  escape."* 


FIRST  OBJECT  TEACHER  IN  KENTUCKY. 

During  the  time  that  Rafinesque  occupied  the  chair 
of  modern  languages  and  the  natural  sciences  in  Tran 
sylvania  University,  was  introduced  west  of  the  Allegha- 
nies  the  modern  method  of  object  teaching.  During 
the  three  winters  from  1823  to  I8a6,  among  other  duties 
he  lectured  on  medical  botany  to  the  students  in  the 
medical  department,  giving  his  course  with  "  exhibition 
of  specimens".  In  this  he  was  far  ahead  of  the  teachers 
of  his  time,  and  introduced  a  method  which  now  every 
where  obtains  among  competent  instructors. 

*  It  will  probably  never  be  known  what  led  to  this  action  on  the  part  of 
President  Holly,  but  it  would  appear  to  have  some  relation  to  absenteeism  on 
the  part  of  Rafinesque.  It  is  but  just  to  the  memory  of  the  famous  Transyl 
vania  University  President  to  say  that  always  Rafinesque  had  received  cordial 
welcome  to  his  home.  The  following  facts  appear  lo  controvert  the  opinion 
Rafinesque  had  formed  of  the  President;  they  are  quoted  from  a  letter  I  have 
received  from  an  inmate  of  the  Holly  household,  by  permission :  "  He . 
[Rafinesque]  was  a  great  admirer  of  Doctor  Holly  and  came  frequently  to  the 
house  to  talk  on  subjects  of  interest  to  him.  He  was  never  an  inmate  of  the 
house  although  his  face  was  a  familiar  one  there.  .  .  .  He  wrote  verses, 
English,  and  Italian,  and  Latin,  I  think,  and  brought  them  to  find  an  audience 
with  us.  .  .  ," 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  43 

In  still  another  matter  lie  appears  to  have  antedated 
some  more  modern  observations,  as  may  be  gathered 
from  the  following  facts: 

"  He  often  lectured  to  the  students  in  College  and  in  a  most 
entertaining  manner  to  the  great  delight  of  his  audiences.  His 
lecture  on  the  ants  was  peculiarly  instructive  and  interesting,  caus 
ing  many  of  the  students  to  laugh  heartily  when  he  gave  us  the 
history  of  ants,  especially  when  he  described  them  as  having  lawyers, 
doctors,  generals  and  privates,  and  of  their  having  great  battles  and 
of.the  care  by  physicians  and  nurses  of  the  wounded,  etc.,  etc.  .  .  . 

"  I  would  now  give  any  reasonable  sum  to  hear  him  repeat  one  of 
his  lectures  that  I  listened  to  in  Transylvania  University."* 

Skilled  indeed  mnst  have  been  the  mind  that  could 
fix  facts  like  these  in  such  manner  that  they  endured 
for  seventy  years ! 

RAFINESQUE  AS  A  LECTURER. 

Much  of  the  time  of  Rafinesque  in,  the  University 
was  employed  in  teaching  the  modern  languages,  in  which 
he  again  was  the  pioneer  of  the  West.  Transylvania 
University,  through  him,  has  thus  a  remarkably  impor 
tant  place  in  the  history  of  higher  education  west  of 
the  Appalachians.  But  it  would  appear  that  the  professor 
and  naturalist,  notwithstanding  the  wide  range  of  his 
scientific  investigations  and  the  great  number  of  papers 

*  General  Geo.  W.  Jones,  in  litt.,  Aug.  25,  1894. 


44  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

prepared  for  the  press,  still  had  some  leisure  which  he 
desired  employed.  To  fill  the  full  measure  of  his  desires 
he  formed  and  conducted  classes  in  the  modern  languages 
outside  the  college  walls ;  he  lectured  on  scientific  sub 
jects  to  the  people  of  Lexington;  he  gave  instruction 
in  botany  to  all  that  desired  it.  In  illustration  of  the 
wide  range  his  activities  acquired,  the  following  notices 
from  various  numbers  of  the  Kentucky  Reporter  pub 
lished  during  1821  and  1822  may  serve: 

"TUITION." 

"  Prof.  Rafinesque  Teaches  the  French  Italian  and  Spanish  Lan 
guages,  in  the  University  and  gives  also  private  lessons  to  the  ladies 
in  town." 

"  He  will  give  private  instruction  in  the  University  or  in  town 
in  the  following  branches  —  Elements  of  useful  knowledge,  Botany, 
Geometry,  Map-Drawing  etc."  {Kentucky  Reporter ;  January  15,  1821.) 

Later,  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  when  the  plant 
lift  of  the  region  was  about  to  awaken  for  the  new 
botanical  year,  he  thus  advertised: 

"PROFESSOR  RAFINESQUE 

Will  begin  to  deliver  his  Course  of  Botany  as  soon  as  a  class  shall 
be  formed :  —  he  invites  those  who  are  willing  to  attend  it  to  apply 
to  him  immediately." 

"He  continues  to  give  private  instruction  in  the  French  &  Italian 
Languages  etc.  Also  in  several  branches  of  other  knowledge." 

Sometimes  during  this  period  Rafinesque  essayed 
the  lecture  platform.  As  in  his  writings,  so  in  his  lee- 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  ^ 

tures  to  the  public  a  very  wide  range  was  given  to  his 
subjects.  He  was  not  often  on  the  lecture  platform,  but 
there  are  several  mentions  of  lectures  in  the  Kentucky 
Reporter  for  the  years  1820  to  1822  that  are  interesting, 
inasmuch  as  they  show  us  how  he  occupied  some  of 
the  leisure  of  college  life.  Among  these  notices  the 
following  are  characteristic  of  the  man : 

"TRANSYLVANIA  UNIVERSITY. 

Professor  Rafinesque  will  deliver  a  Public  Lecture,  introductory  to 
a  course  of  Medical  Botany  Medical  Mineralogy  Medical  Zoology  &c, 
in  the  Chapel  of  the  University,  on  Wednesday  next,  2ist  Nov.  at 
12  o'clock.  The  Medical  Professors,  Students  etc.  are  invited  to 
attend  as  well  as  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Lexington." 

"If  the  weather  should  prove  unfavorable  it  will  be  postponed 
to  the  next  Saturday  at  the  same  hour."  (Kentucky  Reporter,  Novem 
ber  19,  1821.) 

The  next  year  his  public  lectures  appear  to  have  taken 
an  entirely  different  direction.  They  then  seemed  to 
have  been  suggested  by  his  studies  on  the  matter  which 
was  finally  included  in  his  historical  works  or  works  on 
ancient  nations.  The  psychological  tendency  of  his 
researches  is  evident  from  the  notices  which  are  here 

reproduced : 

"A  PUBLIC  LECTURE." 

"  On  the  Human  Mind  will  be  delivered  (weather  permitting) 
on  the  22iid  of  April,  Monday  next,  at  12  o'clock  in  the  Chapel  of 
Transylvania  University  by  Prof.  Rafinesque  as  an  Introductory  to 


UNIVERSITY 


46  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

a  course  of   Lectures   on   the   Natural   &    Moral   History  of  Man 
Kind. 

"The  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  of  L/exington  are  invited  to  attend." 
(Kentucky  Reporter,  April  15,  1822.) 

The  only  mention  of  a  lecture  accompanied  by  a  fee 
for  admission  is  found  late  in  the  year  1822,  and,  like 
the  last  preceding,  the  address  belonged  to  the  realm 
of  metaphysics.  The  notice  runs  as  following: 

"LECTURES  ON  PRAENOLOGY." 

"Professor  Rafinesque  will  deliver  a  discourse  by  request  on 
Phraenology  Craniology  &  the  Analysis  of  the  Human  Mind,  on 
this  evening  at  7  o'clock  in  the  Medical  Room. 

"Admission  Fifty  Cents.  Tickets  to  be  had  of  Mr.  McNitt,  at 
the  lecture  room  &  at  Mr.  De veins."  (Kentucky  Reporter,  December 
16,  1822.) 

Curiously  enough  there  never  occurs  any  reportorial 
or  editorial  notices  of  any  of  these  lectures;  there  is 
absolutely  no  means  of  ascertaining  any  thing  relative 
to  their  reception  by  the  townspeople.  Nor,  among  the 
frequent  " letters"  to  the  editor  in  either  criticism  or 
praise  of  the  various  departments  of  the  University,  and 
such  letters  were  numerous,  for  these  were  stormy  times 
in  University  matters,  have  we  found  a  single  one  which 
mentions,  to  say  nothing  of  being  chiefly  concerned 
with,  Rafinesque's  work  or  the  department  of  science 
over  which  he  presided.  It  would  appear  that  he  toiled 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  47 

along  alone,  with  little  of  counsel  or  of  help.  Unap 
preciated  he  certainly  was,  his  quaint  ways  and  habitual 
obliviousness  of  his  surroundings  subserving  that  end. 

Rafinesque  was  a  frequent  contributor  of  "open  let 
ters"  and  short  articles  to  the  Lexington  newspapers, 
and  some  of  these  are  quite  quaint  and  interesting. 
He  always  seemed  to  believe  that  the  general  public 
felt  as  much  interest  in  natural  history  details  as  he 
himself  did;  perhaps,  however,  the  fact  that  many  rare 
and  little  known  forms  of  animals  were  brought  to  his 
notice  by  the  curious  around  him  explains  an  interest 
which  he  thought  was  general ;  in  this  way,  perhaps,  his 
own  interest  he  came  to  believe  was  common  to  all  who 
read  the  newspapers.  A  single  example  will  serve  to 
indicate  the  nature  of  these  newspaper  contributions, 
none  of  which  are  deemed  of  sufficient  importance  to 
constitute  a  portion  of  the  bibliography  given  in  this 
volume.  From  several  articles  the  following  is  selected: 

"THREE  NOTICES  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY." 

"BY  PROF.  C.  S.  RAFINESQUE." 

"  i.  The  singular  &  rare  animal,  lately  killed  in  Ohio  county  in 
this  state  &  described  in  the  last  Argus  as  a  jeopard  is  by  no 
means  the  African  but  the  American  Kaguar  (Felis  onca  of  Linneus) 
which  is  found  all  over  S.  America  &  Mexico.  It  has  sometimes 
been  seen  in  Louisiana  &  the  state  of  Missisipi  but  had  not  yet 
wandered  so  far  north. 


4§  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

"2.  I  have  lately  discovered  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lexington 
the  real  Scull-cap  or  Scutellaria  laten  flora  so  much  extolled  in  New 
York  against  the  bite  of  mad  dogs  or  hydrophobia.  It  grows  along 
the  branches  of  S.  Elkhorn  near  Wm.  Bryan's,  5  m.  S.  W.  from 
town.  I  shall  be  ready  to  show  specimens  of  it  to  anybody  willing 
to  know  the  plant  &  cultivate  it. 

"3.  If  anybody  living  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  Kentucky,  or 
other  streams  where  the  muscle  Shells  are  common  wishes  to  estab 
lish  a  manufacture  of  Real  Pearls  I  shall  be  willing  to  communicate 
to  them  all  the  different  processes  needful  to  the  purpose  of  com 
pelling  the  Muscles  to  form  their  Pearls,  for  a  small  consideration, 
or  for  a  share  in  the  profits.  The  capital  needed  for  such  a  man 
ufacture  is  a  convenient  place  &  from  $50  to  $100.  The  profits 
may  amount  to  from  $100  to  $10,000  in  a  year,  according  to  the 

size  of  the  Pearls  produced." 

"PR.  C.  S.  RAFINESQUE  " 

(Kentucky  Reporter,  September  6,  1820.) 

Rafinesque  had,  in  previous  years,  formed  the  acquain 
tance  of  President  Jefferson,  whom  he  had  visited  at  his 
Monticello  home.  The  interest  of  Jefferson  in  matters 
scientific  was  well  known  to  Rafinesque,  who  had  often 
written  him  personal  letters.  Also  during  these  years 
in  Lexington  he  frequently  wrote  open  or  published 
letters  to  persons  of  celebrity,  among  whom  were  Cuvier, 
Banks,  De  Candolle,  Bory,  and  others.  Three  of  these 
letters  are  preserved  in  the  Kentucky  Reporter  for  the 
dates  22d  and  29th  August  and  6th  September,  1820. 
They  are  so  very  characteristic  of  the  man  that  they 
should  be  useful  in  undertaking  an  estimate  of  his 


/  •  .^  »^x  •       s    /,  /  >y  */s  j       ml  */  s       S     s*        ^ 

f^^rjj^    c/j^w/fc*   cl<^~v    C*    Vw^y^owv    oL    (  '  Ltvu^^^I  »'t7f  Ct-vCtTotXt,  cL-lQ~K.J>4<»-.  ot^-^ot >- 

uc/uoitr  <t~qjL'</ v^v. w^t^T  «v  JlX.v^-^  c^JtXx/^j^jD  d6<K$o  ,«.r  Jt^u-.o/VM^«  ^vw. eX^-i  /t^«)<4tr^ 

^  '       "  •/•   J  /  ^-      I-  I       /  //  -    ^/ 

^  «^\A/tr^»»»/i    /i  vu  t»<  t*«  CM'M  Lc-«^«— ^^  '((AUTVI   vvCZZC^r" "v»-M*  tw-*  tXctiooi^   o*vt-«.    acji*.v*   f4^^Ji^* 

«XtA^(^     -(LL*,v^     ^«^U*^x.<X-     ^^.^JjJit^  t     rA.^^r^L^i^j      Md-      f<~^^«~       ^     "1~     oJ  C*VN  —/  <ifc«^- 
/«-^/CtV«        C»W'<     ?Jt      OlAJ^lC^l^xOA-<.      tJr(>-^<^rr^l   IJoLJOO^y        lr«._fcf}  tHf*N>AV.V<Ol      0«.      JT     ^C«-X^»*»».        °£.   t*~*<   tS«+'cS 

1,1  /  Sr     ''    «    V  /  /     /   /•      '  ,        <  A,       .-_ia        /          '  <        / 

IJL-sy tA <x    t*^v/    oc— ^   cC *^*  C>\A-*-«-L*  .  I    W  A-AA>»^  Vv--*x  >*-*      'N^CL/ (A^.  1. 1<^^  ''tv'  <  « ''^  vJ    /"••Jxtiv^tJ  c  *^VX/      !2  O-  CAA-\^*    /  » v»  c«xi  /  /  <  >Vi   L^c.*  *-*jQ 

,  */  *  i  r.*^  ^-       "      ^/ i  s   s*)  /~)       4       /  / 


RAF1NESQUE   TO   DECANDOLLE. 


[  Reduced  one-fourth.] 


Constantine  Satmiel  Rafinesque.  49 

mental  life.  These  three  are  addressed,  "To  the  Hon 
orable  Thomas  Jefferson,  Late  President  of  the  United 
States."  The  first  is  an  introductory  one,  of  a  column 
and  a  half  length,  "  On  Alleghawian  Records " ;  the 
second  constitutes  a  "Description  of  the  Alleghawian 
Monuments  In  the  neighborhood  of  Mount  Sterling, 
Montgomery  Co.  Kentucky";  the  third,  a  column  and 
half  long,  has  the  following  title :  "  On  some  Allegawian 
Implements  etc".  The  mounds  or  works  are  quite  fully 
described  in  these  letters,  as  well  as  their  probable  uses, 
or  better,  perhaps,  the  uses  which  Rafinesque  supposed 
they  had  subserved;  the  same  treatment  was  accorded 
the  implements. 

FROM  182^  TO  1840. 

Rafinesque  left  Lexington  and  Kentucky  in  June, 
1825,  taking  with  him  all  his  possessions.  He  left 
Transylvania  University  of  his  own  accord,  driven  to 
desperation  by  the  treatment  accorded  his  collections. 
He  turned  his  footsteps  eastward;  his  work  west  of  the 
Alleghanies  had  ended.  So  far  as  is  known  he  never 
visited  again  the  regions  to  the  west.  As  first,  in  1802, 
so  now,  in  1825,  he  at  last  made  Philadelphia  his  home. 

It  is  impossible  to  follow  with  very  much  detail  the 
last  fifteen  years  of  his  life.  The  facts  are  too  little 

7 


50  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

known  and  have,  so  far  as  known,  too  great  likeness  to 
warrant  minute  statement.  He  continued  his  numerous 
excursions  to  the  very  last,  and  during  these  journeys 
always  explored  new  regions.  These  few  years  sufficed 
to  take  him  to  nearly  all  the  Middle  Atlantic  States  and 
furnished  him  with  very  many  opportunities  to  study 
the  mountain  flora  of  the  northern  Appalachians.  Some 
of  his  larger  works  were  composed  in  great  part  during 
these  last  years,  and  a  number  of  them  were  published. 
From  the  time  he  left  Transylvania  University  he  ex 
perienced  considerable  difficulty  in  getting  his  numerous 
papers  published;  very  many  of  them  never  would  have 
seen  the  light  in  printed  form,  were  it  not  that  he  es 
sayed  the  establishment  of  one  or  two  literary  and  scien 
tific  periodicals.  These,  like  his  earlier  adventure  of 
similar  nature  in  Sicily,  came  to  sudden  ends,  through 
failure  of  subscribers  to  pay,  and  through  failure  of 
publishers  to  print  without  cash  payment.  Some  liter 
ary  enterprises,  extensive  in  nature,  for  which  he  was 
not  well  equipped  either  in  training  or  in  means,  were 
projected,  and  some,  like  his  "Tellus,"  were  to  compass 
the  whole  world  in  their  scope.  This  last  ambitious 
project  was  partially  consummated,  and  is  represented 
by  two  volumes,  printed  in  Philadelphia,  in  1836.  The 
widest  possible  range  of  subjects  is  included  within  his 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  51 

writings  of  these  years,  testifying  strongly  to    his  ina 
bility  to  concentrate  his  mind  and  work. 

The  most  interesting  fact  connected  with  this  por 
tion  of  the  career  of  Rafinesqne  is  his  attempted  appli 
cation  of  his  medical  information  to  the  treatment  of 
consumption.  He  has  commonly  been  regarded  as  a 
"quack"  during  this  part  of  his  life.  However  he  was 
far  from  such  in  fact.  There  is  the  essential  distinction, 
first  of  all,  that  Rafinesque  really  believed  in  his  medi 
cines  and  in  his  treatment.  In  his  will  may  be  found 
a  paragraph  to  which  attention  is  directed  in  this  con 
nection.  For  some  years  he  had  made  and  advertised  a 
medicine,  sold  in  several  forms,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  "  Pulmel,"  and  concerning  the  virtues  of  which 
he  wrote  a  book.  His  methods,  then  novel  —  and  Rafin 
esque  always  seemed  to  be  in  the  lead  in  novelties  — 
were  not  at  all  unlike  those  now  adopted  by  respectable 
firms  for  the  advertisement  of  their  own  nostrums.  He 
published  a  number  of  statements  of  cures,  reliefs,  and 
similar  matters,  just  as  is  now  done  under  cover  of  the 
certification  of  a  reputable  physician.  While  it  is  prob 
able  his  decoctions  and  pills  and  powders  possessed  very 
little  therapeutic  value,  it  is  not  quite  clear  that  they  were 
less  valuable  than  many  that  now  are  heralded,  world 
wide,  as  possessing  virtues  and  powers  that  are  incredible. 


52  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

It  should  also  be  remembered  that  Rafinesque  was  driven 
by  the  necessities  of  a  poverty  almost  unspeakable,  in 
the  midst  of  a  city  of  plenty,  to  do  some  things  with 
his  "Pulmel"  which  he  probably  never  would  have  done 
under  any  ordinary  circumstances.  The  determination 
to  owe  no  man  anything;  to  secure  the  publication  of  his 
books;  to  get  and  arrange  new  plants  and  other  nat 
ural  history  objects;  to  complete  the  exploration  of  the 
northern  Alleghanies,  were  all  -  controlling  motives  with 
him.  It  was  not  sordid  gain  that  drove  him  to  medical 
concoctions,  but  a  sincere  desire  to  get  by  fair  means,  in 
an  honorable  way,  the  opportunity  to  do  good  and  be  of 
service  to  mankind.  I  believe  that  Rafinesque  did  good 
as  he  understood  and  felt  it;  that  he  had  a  nature  sus 
ceptible  of  appreciating  kindnesses,  and  that,  in  his  way 
and  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,  he  was  of  a  philan 
thropic  mould. 

Of  this  particular  episode  in  the  life  of  Rafinesque  it 
would  be  well,  perhaps,  to  allow  him  to  speak.  He  says  :* 

"Having  cured  myself  completely  in  1828  of  my  chronic  com 
plaint,  which  was  the  fatal  Phthisis,  caused  by  my  disappointments, 
fatigues,  and  the  unsteady  climate ;  which  my  knowledge  in  medical 
botany  enabled  me  to  subdue  and  effect  a  radical  cure:  I  entered 
into  arrangements  for  establishing  a  Chemical  manufacture  of  veg 
etable  remedies  against  the  different  kinds  of  Consumption.  This 

*Life  of  Travels,  p.  87. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  ^ 

succeeded  well.  I  introduced  also  a  new  branch  of  medical  knowl 
edge  and  art.  I  became  a  Pulmist,  who  attended  only  to  diseases 
of  the  lungs,  as  a  Dentist  attends  only  to  the  teeth.  Being  thus 
the  first  Pulmist,  and  perhaps  the  only  one  here  or  elsewhere. 
This  new  Profession  changed  my  business  for  awhile ;  yet  enabling 
me  to  travel  again  in  search  of  plants  or  to  spread  my  practice, 
and  to  put  my  collections  in  better  order,  publishing  many  pam 
phlets,  &c. 

"  In  1829  I  gave  a  public  proof  of  my  art,  in  printing  a  small 
book  called  the  Pulmist  or  the  art  to  cure  the  Consumption,  and 
many  hundreds  of  individuals,  whom  I  have  cured  or  relieved  are 
another  striking  proof  of  the  beneficial  results  of  my  new  practice."* 

Rafinesque  did  not  entirely  abandon  pedagogy  when 
he  left  Kentucky.  In  the  winter  of  1826-27  he  lectured 
on  physical  geography  and  natural  history  in  the  Franklin 
Institute,  and  afterward,  during  part  of  1827,  was  "  Pro~ 
fessor  of  Geography  and  Drawing  in  the  High  school  of 

*This  book,  the  full  title  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  bibliography 
accompanying  this  sketch,  was  caustically  reviewed  by  the  editor  of  "  The 
Western  Journal  of  the  Medical  and  Physical'  Sciences"  Volume  III,  1830, 
pp.  417,  418,  455.  The  review  is  included  in  a  series  headed  "The  Peoples 
Doctors,"  which  deals  with  books  of  a  character  similar  to  that  of  Rafinesque. 
The  most  remarkable  thing  connected  with  the  review  lies  in  the  fact  that 
its  author,  Doctor  Daniel  Drake,  had  never  seen  the  volume  !  He  says,  p.  417  : 
"  We  have  not  had  the  advantage  of  seeing  the  Professor's  '  doctor  book,' 
the  title  of  which  is  prefixed  to  this  article,  but  his  circular  lies  before  us.  .  .  ." 
I  have  no  defense  for  Rafinesque's  foolish  book,  with  the  contents  of  which 
I  am  familiar,  but  I  can  not  enter  too  strong  a  protest  against  treatment 
of  this  sort,  and  against  reviews  by  reviewers,  who  have  never  seen  the 
works  of  which  they  write.  But  this  method  has  not  been  confined  to  the 
doctors,  evidently,  as  a  perusal  of  some  of  the  articles  in  the  "Rafinesquiana" 
herewith  published  will  abundantly  testify. 


54  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

the  same  Institution."  In  September  of  the  same  year  he 
left  this  post,  and  so  far  as  known  never  again  entered 
a  class-room  as  instructor.  Ill  health  seriously  interfered 
with  all  his  manifold  occupations,  but  he  still  kept  on 
writing,  amassing  notes,  publishing  fragmentary  articles, 
and  devoting  not  a  little  time  to  inventions  and  to  his 
medical  business. 


THE  Six  PER  CENT  SAVINGS  BANK. 

Probably  the  most  interesting  business  adventure  of 
Rafinesque  during  these  later  years  was  the  proposal, 
elaboration  and  establishment  of  a  kind  of  savings 
bank  which  he  called  the  Divitial  Institution  and  Six 
Per  Cent  Savings  Bank.  This  institution  had  been  a 
favorite  scheme  for  quite  ten  years  before  final  organi 
zation.  The  men  who  went  into  the  scheme  were  all 
men  of  small  holdings;  wealthy  people  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  It  paid  stockholders  six  per 
cent,  and  loaned  money  at  the  same  interest  rate.  The 
first  year  of  its  operation  the  bank  divided  a  dividend 
of  nine  per  cent  among  the  stockholders.  How  money 
could  be  borrowed  at  six  per  cent,  loaned  at  six  per 
cent,  and  current  expenses  be  paid,  does  not  appear, 
unless,  indeed,  "the  commissions,  fines,  and  casualities ", 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesqtte.  55 

which  he  mentions,  proved  a  prolific  source  of  income! 
Many  similar  institutions  were  proposed  and  established 
at  this  time  in  Philadelphia,  but  Rafinesque  lumps  them 
all  together  and  declares  that  they  were  all  gambling 
institutions.  The  bank  was  still  in  existence  at  the 
death  of  Rafinesque,  but  nothing  can  be  learned  of  its 
real  history.  It  is  not  a  little  singular  that  the  earliest 
and  the  latest  business  ventures  of  Rafinesque  alone 
appear  to  have  succeeded.  All  the  rest  is  a  record  of 
continuous  failure. 

THE  DEATH  OF  RAFINESQUE. 

The  closing  scenes  in  the  life  of  this  man  are  of  the 
saddest  nature  imaginable.  He  lived  in  the  most  abject 
poverty  on  Race  Street,  Philadelphia,  in  a  garret,  sur 
rounded  by  his  books,  minerals,  plants  and  other  loved 
natural  objects.  He  shunned  the  company  of  others 
and  had  no,  or  but  few,  real  and  tried  friends.  Scientific 
recluse  that  he  was  in  these  days,  there  were  none  to  care 
for  him  and  help  him  in  time  of  want.  His  scientific 
loves  were  still  strong,  and  he  struggled  along  in  the 
unequal  battle  with  fortune  in  the  face  of  a  disease 
which  had  no  relief  save  in  death.  The  end  came  in 
1840,  when,  alone  in  his  crowded  garret,  in  a  poor  quarter 
of  the  great  city,  he  died  of  cancer  of  the  stomach. 


56  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Language  can  not  adequately  portray  the  emotions 
that  arise  as  these  words  are  written.  Here  was  a  man 
who  for  years  had  loved  and  wooed  that  coy  goddess  whom 
we  call  Nature;  a  man  who  had  the  soul  to  appreciate 
both  her  richness  and  her  profligacy;  whose  varied  for 
tunes,  both  in  letters  and  in  means,  seem  as  the  details 
of  a  romance;  he  had  at  last  paid  the  penalty  of  being 
a  part  of  that  same  Nature.  He  died  without  a  word  to 
cheer  him,  without  a  tear  shed  for  him.  Rafinesque! 
The  name  had  gone  to  every  land  where  science  is  cul 
tivated.  Rafinesque!  The  name  had  been  bandied  about 
in  jest  and  contumely  by  those  who  should  have  hailed 
him  as  brother.  Rafinesque!  Dead!  He  yet  lives  and 
will  live  as  long  as  plants  shall  be  studied  and  classified ; 
as  long  as  fishes  shall  unwittingly  fall  in  the  net  of  the 
searcher;  as  long  as  the  waters  of  the  West  shall  give 
life  to  mollusks;  as  long  as  changing  stream  or  fleeting 
cloud  or  moving  star  shall  bear  a  message  to  men. 
Long  may  the  name  of  him  who  studied  them  all  and 
loved  them  all  and  understood  them  all  be  revered  by 
those  who  regard  the  labors  of  the  pioneer! 

Rafinesque  had  been  dead  to  the  world  of  brightest 
minds  for  some  years.  The  experiences  through  which 
he  had  passed,  which  involved  some  of  the  saddest  that 
come  to  men,  had  so  broken  him  that  there  is  little 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  ^ 

question  but  that  he  was  not  of  sound  mind  during 
these  latest  years.  He  was  not,  however,  the  irrespon 
sible  madman  some  would  have  us  believe;  rather,  his 
was  monomania,  and  took  the  direction  of  descriptions 
of  new  forms  of  animal  and  plant  life.  But,  more  than 
this,  his  defect  was  that  peculiar  form  of  monomania 
which  believed  only  in  himself;  which  saw  in  his  own 
work  a  value  that  does  not  always  attach  to  it;  which 
made  him  neglect  the  work  of  others,  or,  if  it  were 
noticed,  impelled  him  to  caustic  and  unwise  criticism. 

It  is  related  of  his  burial,  that  when  a  few  men,  what 
ever  the  motive  that  prompted  them  may  have  been, 
learned  of  his  death  and  assembled  to  give  the  dead 
decent  entombment,  his  landlord  refused  permission  of 
burial;  he  hoped  to  find  a  market  for  the  body  in  a 
medical  school,  and  thus  obtain  the  rental  Rafinesque 
could  not  pay  when  living.  The  body  had  been  locked 
in  a  room  adjoining  that  in  which  death  had  come;  the 
door  was  forced  open  in  the  presence  of  his  last  and 
faithful  friend,  Doctor  William  Mease,  and  an  under 
taker  by  the  name  of  Bringhurst;  and  what  remained 
of  Rafinesque  was  let  down  by  ropes  into  the  back 
yard  and  then  conveyed  to  its  resting-place.* 

*This  statement  was  first  published  in  the  Philadelphia  Ledger  Supple 
ment,  May  5,  1877.  It  is  reproduced  entirely  in  the  American  Naturalist, 
1877,  Vol.  XI,  pp.  574,  575.  Vide  "  Rafinesquiana  "  at  the  end  of  this  volume. 

8 


58  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  unfortunate  naturalist  lies  buried  in  Ronaldson's 
Cemetery,  Ninth  and  Catherine  streets,  Philadelphia. 
In  1 86 1  the  place  was  marked  by  a  plain  board  slab 
on  which  was  painted  simply  "C.  S.  R."  To-day  the 
spot  where  he  was  buried  is  unmarked. 

DISPOSITION  OF  THE  PROPERTY  OF  RAFINESQUE. 

All  that  Rafinesque  possessed  in  the  world  is  summed 
up  as  personal  property  in  the  items  of  his  will.  When 
it  was  learned  that  he  was  dead  and  that  his  property 
would  be  sold  at  public  auction,  there  was  an  unseemly 
haste  on  the  part  of  some  persons  to  get  possession  of 
his  treasures,  whatever  they  were.  Kight  dray  loads 
of  books  and  natural  history  collections  comprised  the 
mass  of  his  "estate".  They  went  to  the  auction  rooms 
of  the  city  and  were  publicly  sold,  in  violation  of  the 
provisions  of  his  will,  which  required  private  sale.  There 
is  no  intimation  in  the  return  of  the  executors  that 
any  attempt  was  made  to  comply  with  its  requirements. 
His  manuscripts  on  archseologic  subjects  were  bought 
by  Professor  S.  S.  Haldeman,  and  eventually  found  their 
way,  most  of  them,  into  the  hands  of  Brantz  Mayer, 
of  Baltimore,  formerly  consul  for  the  United  States  to 
Mexico.  Thence  many  finally  reached  the  United  States 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  CQ 

National  Museum  at  Washington,  where  some  are  still 
preserved.  The  National  Museum  possesses  also  several 
note-books  in  which  are  recorded  Rafinesque's  observa 
tions  during  some  of  his  numerous  travels;  in  addition, 
there  are  an  unpublished  paper  on  the  fishes  of  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  and  the  manuscript  of  a  pro 
posed  "Conchologia  Ohiensis." 

Many  of  the  archseologic  manuscripts  of  Rafinesque 
eventually  found  their  way  into  the  hands  of  Squier 
and  Davis,  the  authors  of  the  immortal  " Ancient  Monu 
ments  of  the  Mississippi  Valley".  Such  parts  as  suited 
their  purpose  these  gentlemen  employed  in  its  compi 
lation.  Most  of  this  work  of  Rafinesque  on  the  ancient 
peoples  of  America  seems  to  have  disappeared  from 
view  in  Baltimore. 

The  collections  of  Rafinesque  had  suffered  much  from 
neglect  and  inability  properly  to  care  for  them.  Labels 
were  lost  and  misplaced ;  indeed  most  of  the  mineral  and 
conchologic  materials  were  entirely  without  labels,  and 
were  sold  for  mere  trifles.  The  botanical  collections  were 
badly  injured  by  mice  and  other  vermin,  and  were  in  sad 
condition;  most  of  the  plant  collection  sold  as  waste 
paper.  A  few  good  specimens  were  secured  by  Mr.  Isaac 
Burk,  and  by  him  presented  to  the  University  of  Penn 
sylvania,  where,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  they  still  are.  A 


60  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

considerable  collection  of  plants,  named  and  studied  by 
Rafinesque,  may  be  seen  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in 
Paris,  where  they  form  a  portion  of  the  Herbier  Durand. 
Mr.  William  Hembel  presented  to  the  Philadelphia  Acad 
emy  of  Natural  Sciences  that  portion  of  the  herbarium 
of  Rafinesque  which  contained  the  plants  on  which  were 
based  the  descriptive  portions  of  the  Medical  Flora. 
These  descriptions  are  said  to  possess  very  great  value 
to-day,  and  it  is  very  agreeable  to  know  that  the  plants 
are  still  in  existence.  They,  together  with  other  valuable 
Buropean  and  Oriental  plants,  had  been  purchased  at 
the  sale  of  the  estate  of  their  owner.  A  collection  of 
Annelides,  or  marine  worms,  made  by  Rafinesque,  also 
found  its  way  into  the  Philadelphia  Academy's  collec 
tions.*  The  rest  are  gone  forever;  that  they  really 
possessed  value  is  uncertain. 

The  books  which  Rafinesque  left  appear  to  have  been 
especially  the  quest  of  the  greedy  purchasers  who  attended 
the  sale.  Some  were  sold  at  private  terms,  as  the  will 
directs  that  all  should  be,  but  most  of  them  went  at 
public  auction.  The  return  of  the  executors,  appended 
to  the  will,  demonstrates  that  the  Medical  Flora,  pub 
lished  in  two  volumes,  had  certain  value.  One  man,  a 

*  Vide  "A  Notice  of  the  Origin,  Progress,  and  Present  Condition  of  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia."  By  W.  S.  W.  Ruschenberger, 
M.  D.,  1852,  p.  27. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  61 

physician,  "took  eight  copies",  another  took  "a  lot". 
The  books  are  now  much  sought  after  and  possess  a 
certain  intrinsic  value  which  did  not  then  seem  to  be 
appreciated.  The  final  settlement  of  the  estate  left  it 
indebted  to  the  administrator  in  the  sum  of  fourteen 
dollars  and  forty -three  cents.  Rafinesque  appears  to 
have  been  despoiled  of  his  rights  in  nomenclature  while 
living;  he  was  despoiled  of  his  possessions  when  dead. 

THE  PERSONAL  APPEARANCE  OF  RAFINESQUE. 

There  are  living  very  few  persons  who  have  seen 
Rafinesque.  But  since  interest  always  attaches  to  the 
physique  of  remarkable  men,  the  attempt  was  made  to 
obtain  descriptive  accounts  from  such  as  still  might  be 
alive.  In  this  matter  there  has  been  a  certain  measure 
of  success.  The  portraits  which,  accompany  this  work 
will  disclose  the  rest. 

The  published  description  of  Rafinesque  by  Audubon* 
has  long  been  the  only  source  of  information  as  to  his 
personality,  and  is  reproduced  here  because  chronologic 
ally  the  first.  Audubon  writes  as  follows: 

"A  long  loose  coat  of  yellow  nankeen,  much  the  worse  of  the 
many  rubs  it  had  got  in  its  time,  and  stained  all  over  with  the  juice 

*  Vide  Ornithological  Biography,  Vol.  I,  p.  456. 


62  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

of  plants,  hung  loosely  about  him  like  a  sack.  A  waistcoat  of  the 
same,  with  enormous  pockets,  and  buttoned  up  to  the  chin,  reached 
below  over  a  pair  of  tight  pantaloons,  the  lower  part  of  which  were 
buttoned  down  to  the  ancles.  His  beard  was  as  long  as  I  have  known 
my  own  to  be  during  some  of  my  perigrinations,  and  his  lank  black 
hair  hung  loosely  over  his  shoulders.  His  forehead  was  so  broad 
and  prominent  that  any  tyro  in  phrenology  would  instantly  have 
pronounced  it  the  residence  of  a  mind  of  strong  power.  His  words 
impressed  an  assurance  of  rigid  truth,  and  as  he  directed  the  conver 
sation  to  the  study  of  the  natural  sciences,  I  listened  to  him  with  as 
much  delight  as  Telemachus  could  have  listened  to  Mentor." 

In  regarding  this  description  it  should  be  remembered 
that  Rafinesque  had  reached  Henderson  after  a  long  and 
varied  journey  down  the  Ohio.  The  "ark",  in  which 
he  last  had  voyaged,  had  not  the  means  of  polite  toilet 
making;  soiled  clothing  and  unkempt  beard,  in  a  river 
village  of  Kentucky, -in  1818,  should  have  excited  neither 
comment  nor  wonder. 

A  delightful  and  authentic  account  of  Rafinesque, 
not  as  a  rambling  collector  merely,  but  as  a  college  pro 
fessor,  has  been  furnished  me  by  one  whose  mother 
knew  Rafinesque.*  The  account  is  given  exactly  as  it 
came  to  the  writer.  Says  this  lady: 

"  There  are  few  persons  now  living  who  remember  Professor 
Rafinesque.  My  mother,  then  a  girl  of  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age, 
recalls  him  distinctly,  and  describes  him,  as  did  all  I  have  ever 
heard  speak  of  him,  as  a  most  eccentric  person ;  his  extreme  '  absent- 

*  Miss  Johanna  Peter,  of  Lexington,  in  litt. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  63 

mindedness '  contributing  to  his  foreign  ways  to  make  him  pecul 
iar.  His  students  were  not  slow  to  perceive  that  he  made  an 
excellent  target  for  their  practical  jokes,  and  having  but  small 
esteem  in  those  days  for  natural  science  as  compared  with  class 
ical  attainments,  they  showed  him  little  respect.  His  lecture  room 
was  the  scene  of  the  most  free  and  easy  behavior,  made  possible 
by  the  total  absorption  in  his  subject  of  the  lecturer,  who  was 
always  totally  oblivious  to  his  surroundings  when  occupied  with  his 
favorite  pursuits.  In  appearance  Professor  Rafinesque  was  small 
and  slender,  with  delicate  and  refined  hands  and  small  feet.  His 
features  were  good  and  his  eyes  handsome  and  dark,  or  apparently 
so  from  the  long,  dark  eye-lashes.  His  hair,  which  he  wore  long, 
was  dark  and  silky.  He  went  into  society  while  in  Lexington  and 
was  a  good  dancer  but  had  no  companions,  being  totally  abstracted, 
usually,  with  his  own  thoughts  and  having  no  conversation,  although 
he  spoke  good  English,  save  on  his  favorite  topics  of  botany,  etc. 
On  these  he  was  an  enthusiast.  He  was  a  clever  draughtsman  and 
often  made  sketches  of  persons  in  his  company.  Mrs.  Holly,  the 
wife  of  the  President,  took  a  motherly  supervision  over  this  lone, 
friendless,  little  creature,  while  at  Transylvania  University,  and  saw 
that  he  ate  his  dinner,  that  the  mud  of  his  various  expeditions  was 
removed  from  his  garments,  that  his,  hair  was  combed  and  his  face 
was  washed,  as  often  any  or  all  of  these  particulars  would  be  for 
gotten  by  the  oblivious  scientist.  ,  .  .  For  my  own  part  I  always 
felt  sorry  for  poor  Rafinesque,  because  he  was  a  stranger  and 
because  all  the  young  people  made  jokes  at  his  expense.  These 
he  is  said  never  to  have  noticed  apparently,  but  I  believe  a  man 
of  his  fine  mind  must  have  felt  more  than  he  showed.  At  any 
rate  he  appreciated  kindness  that  was  shown  him  although  he 
knew  none  of  the  arts  that  make  a  man  popular.  He  was  well 
known  to  my  grandmother  and  to  my  great-grandfather,  Samuel 
Meredith,  who  then  lived  at  this  old  country  place,  "Winton," 
where  I  am  writing.  Rafinesque  often  walked  here  from  Lexington, 


64  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

seven  miles,  in  search  of  specimens  which  he  found  in  North  Elkhorn 
creek  and  to  investigate  the  ancient  Indian  forts  which  traverse  this 
farm." 

A  second  valuable  account  has  been  furnished  by 
General  George  W.  Jones,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  who  was 
a  student  in  Transylvania  University  from  1821  to  1825. 
He  writes :  * 

"  I  recollect  the  learned  Professor  Rafinesque  perfectly  well  and 
his  physiognomy  and  general  appearance  are  now  visible  to  my 
mind's  eye.  He  was  in  personal  stature  about  the  size  and  appear 
ance  of  my  deceased  friend,  the  late  John  Quincy  Adams,  but  I 
think  he  had  a  full  suit  of  hair  and  black  eyes.  .  .  .  Professor 
Rafinesque  had  a  room  in  College  proper,  and  was  a  man  of 
peculiar  habits  and  was  very  eccentric,  but  was  to  me  one  of  the 
most  interesting  men  I  have  ever  known." 

And  again,  in  a  letter  replying  to  questions  con 
nected  with  the  genuineness  of  one  of  the  portraits  of 
Rafinesque,  which  is  published  in  connection  with  this 
memoir,  General  Jones  writes: 

"I  do  not  think  that  either  of  the  pictures  of  Professor  Rafin 
esque  f  represents  him  correctly  as  I  remember  him  when  I  knew 
him  as  Professor  of  Natural  History  in  Transylvania  University,  in 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  from  1821  to  July,  1825.  The  photograph  is 
certainly  a  better  likeness  than  the  other  picture.  I  never  saw  him 

*  Letters  dated  August  25  and  August  30,  1894. 

t  These  were  a  photograph  of  the  painting  of  Rafinesque  in  the  Wisconsin 
Historical  Society,  and  said  to  have  been  made  by  the  celebrated  Jouett,  and 
the  portrait  of  Rafinesque  published  by  the  Popular  Science  Monthly  in  April, 
1892.  The  Popular  Science  Monthly  portrait  appears  to  have  been  copied, 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  65 

dressed  so  finely  or  so  fashionably  as  this  photo  represents,  for  he 
was  an  extremely  eccentric  man  in  his  dress,  as  well  as  in  his 
manners,  and  was  always  the  object  of  ridicule  by  the  younger 
students  of  the  University.  They  would  fill  his  room  with  smoke 
from  cigars  at  night  when  he  would  leave  it.  I  was  always  very 
intimate  in  the  family  of  President  Holly  and  know  that  Professor 
Rafinesque  was  always  a  favorite  in  his  house  and  especially  with 
Mrs.  Holly,  who  was  one  of  the  most  excellent  and  charming,  intel 
ligent  ladies  that  I  ever  knew." 

Still  another  account,  kindly  furnished  by  one  who 
often  saw  him  and  to  whose  home  Rafinesque  frequently 
came,  differs  in  some  minor  details  from  the  preceding. 
This  account  says  : 

"As  I  recall  the  old  man  he  was  a  small,  peculiar  looking  Italian, 
with  a  large,  rather  bald,  head  and  stooping  figure,  very  scientific, 
absorbed  in  his  books  and  his  bugs,  his  researches  and  his  writings, 
a  genius  with  many  peculiarities  and  not  much  dignity.  ...  I  don't 
know  where  or  how  he  got  his  meals.  His  room  was  in  the  College 
building  and  was  a  curiosity,  filled  with  butterflies  and  bugs  and 
all  sorts  of  queer  things.  The  students  played  tricks  upon  him,  and 
the  young  folks  were  amused  by  his  funny  ways.  He  seemed  to 
me  an  amiable  gentleman,  an  innocent,  inoffensive  sort  of  man, 
hardly  appreciated  at  the  time.  ..." 

A  single  other  account,  by  a  former  student  at  Tran 
sylvania  University,  may  prove  of  use  in  relation  to  the 

without  credit,  and  with  some  modifications,  from  the  one  published  in  Pot 
ter's  American  Monthly,  Volume  VI,  1876.  The  last  mentioned  was  made  from 
a  painting  owned  by  Doctor  William  Kent  Gilbert,  of  Philadelphia.  This 
painting  is  a  reproduction  of  the  portrait  of  Rafinesque  which  forms  the 
frontispiece  to  the  "Analysis  of  Nature". 

9 


UNIVERSITY 


66  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

physique  and  habits  of  Rafmesque.  For  it  I  am  in 
debted  to  the  courtesy  of  Judge  Belvard  J.  Peters,  of 
Mt.  Sterling,  Kentucky.  He  says:* 

"I  was  a  member  of  the  graduating  class  of  1825,  with  Gen'l 
G.  W.  Jones,  in  the  Transylvania  University,  Kentucky.  I  remember 
Professor  Rafinesque,  and  my  recollection  is  he  was  a  man  of  low 
stature,  not  more  than  5  feet  10  inches  in  height,  strongly  built, 
and  capable  of  great  physical  force;  his  head  rather  larger  than 
usual,  square  shoulders  but  not  stooped,  dark  grey  eyes,  and  dark 
hair.  While  there  was  nothing  in  his  countenance  inviting  to  stran 
gers,  there  was  absolutely  nothing  forbidding.  His  face  was  far 
from  being  ruddy ;  but  pale  or  perhaps  wan  is  the  best  word,  indicat 
ing  to  me  that  his  color  was  the  result  of  hard  study,  for  he  was 
a  great  student.  He  seemed  to  me  to  be  careless  of  his  style  of 
dressing,  indeed,  his  clothes  never  fitted  him  and  appeared  to  have 
been  made  for  some  one  else  and  he  got  them  by  accident.  I  think 
he  was  not  a  cheerful  man.  I  have  no  recollection  of  having  ever 
seen  him  enjoy  a  hearty  laugh  (as  we  Kentuckians  would  say).  He 
was  an  eccentric  man,  doubtless  as  much  so  as  any  account  you 
have  of  him  represents  him  to  have  been.  I  never  heard,  and  do 
not  believe,  that  his  relations  with  Prest.  Holly,  or  any  of  his 
colleagues,  were  unpleasant.  I  never  knew  nor  did  I  ever  hear 
of  any  such  trouble.  Prest.  H.,  as  I  understood,  was  a  Unitarian 
and  Professor  Bishop  was  a  Scotchman  and  Presbyterian  of  the 
straightest  sect,  and  but  little  intercourse  [existed]  between  them. 
Prest.  Holly  was  the  victim  of  persecutions  of  Presbyterian  and 
Baptist  preachers,  the  first  named  the  most  bitter.  They  never 
ceased  their  war  upon  him  until  they  forced  him  to  resign  in  the 
Spring  of  1827,  and  he  was  elected  President  of  the  New  Orleans 
College,  and  in  July,  1827,  he  took  yellow  fever,  on  shipboard,  going 
from  New  Orleans  to  Boston,  and  died  3ist  July,  1827.  His  body 

*  In  lit.,  dated  September  24,  1894. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  67 

was  committed  to  the  deep,  '  the  Scholar's  cloak  was  his  winding 
sheet,  the  ocean  his  grave,  and  the  towering  rocks  of  the  Tortugas 
his  monument.'  .  .  .  But  to  quit  this  episode  and  return  to  the 
Professor.  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  heard  him  lecture.  He 
was  professor  of  Geology,  but  I  think  Botany  was  his  favorite  study. 
He  spent  much  time  in  the  mountains  of  Kentucky  and  in  investi 
gating  the  quality  of  the  different  soils  and  their  adaptability  to 
the  production  of  various  plants,  vegetables,  etc." 

From  these  facts  it  would  appear  that,  for  some  reason, 
Rafinesque  had  changed  his  feeling  of  friendliness  into 
one  of  hostility  to  Doctor  Holly,  and  that  this  new 
condition  was  not  justified.  The  account  Judge  Peters 
has  so  kindly  furnished  helps  us  to  understand  the 
wonderful  physical  force  which  must  have  been  Rafin- 
esque's,  for  he  toiled  always  and  without  apparent  rest. 

No  ordinary  physique  could  have  endured  such  cease 
less  activity,  performed  such  arduous  journeys,  collected 
such  numbers  of  natural  objects,  prepared  so  many  arti 
cles  for  publication,  and  filled  so  completely  the  post  of 
professor.  He  most  certainly  was  a  man  of  indomitable 
will,  of  unbounded  enthusiasm,  of  great  energy.  These 
are  his  virtues.  On  them  we  are  content  to  rest  his 
case. 

THE  PORTRAITS  OF  RAFINESQUE. 

The  portraits  of  Rafinesque,  which  we  present  in  this 
volume,  have  an  interesting  history.  The  frontispiece 
represents  the  author  of  the  "Analyse  de  la  Nature"  as  he 


68  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

appeared  in  Sicily,  in  1810,  and,  therefore,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-seven  years.  It  is  a  reproduction  of  the  portrait 
of  Rafinesque  which  constitutes  the  frontispiece  of  that 
volume.  On  it  was  based  the  painting  owned  by  Doctor 
William  Kent  Gilbert,  of  Philadelphia,  which  is  repro 
duced  by  Chase  in  his  sketch  of  Rafinesque  in  Potters 
American  Monthly,  previously  mentioned.  The  portrait 
as  there  presented  loses  some  of  its  charm  and  its  unique 
character.  The  picture  is  a  very  interesting  one  in  that 
it  so  well  shows  some  of  the  peculiar  features  thus  early 
developing  in  the  mental  life  of  the  naturalist.  The 
wide  range  which  his  studies  and  his  activities  already 
had  assumed  is  indicated  by  the  ornamentation  of 
the  plate.  Modelling  his  work  after  Linnaeus  he  sought 
to  establish  it  on  probity  and  philosophy.  They  con 
stitute  the  foundation  stones  of  the  character  which  he 
hoped  to  build.  The  birds  of  the  air,  the  animals  and 
plants  of  the  fields,  the  fishes  and  mollusks  of  the 
waters,  are  all  included  in  the  illustration  as  reminders 
of  the  diverse  directions  in  which  his  energies  had  been 
expended.  He  was  a  merchant,  and  the  son  of  a  mer 
chant;  he  had  been  a  traveller;  and  so,  in  the  offing, 
there  appears  a  ship  under  full  sail.  A  happy  conceit 
this,  if  we  only  pardon  the  bit  of  personal  vanity  which 
it  implies. 


FROM  THE  PAINTING  BY  JOUETT  IN  THE  WISCONSIN  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY'S  COLLECTION. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  59 

The  second  portrait  of  Rafinesque  is  presented  with 
some  misgivings.  There  are  some  differences  between 
the  two  that  do  not  appear  to  be  sufficiently  well  ex 
plained  by  time  and  harsh  experiences.  This  portrait 
is  a  photograph  of  an  oil  painting,  on  a  black -walnut 
tablet,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Wisconsin  Historical 
Society,  at  Madison,  through  whose  courtesy  it  is  allowed 
presentation  here.  It  was  purchased  as  a  portrait  of 
Rafinesque  by  the  late  Doctor  Lyman  C.  Draper,  some 
time  secretary  of  the  Society,  in  one  of  his  numerous 
trips  through  Kentucky,  or  to  Philadelphia,  about  1876. 
No  memoranda  accompany  the  painting  other  than  the 
name  of  Rafinesque  and  the  date  of  purchase.  Both 
portraits  have  been  seen  by  persons  who  knew  Raf 
inesque,  but  opinion  on  them  is  very  equally  divided. 
Of  the  frontispiece  there  is  no  doubt  whatever;  of  the 
second  illustration  only  the  facts  above  mentioned  can 
now  be  given. 


RAFINESQUE'S  SCIENTIFIC  WRITINGS. 


Rafinesque's  Scientific  Writings. 


UNDER  the  most  favorable  circumstances  it  often 
becomes  very  difficult  properly  to  estimate  the 
scientific  work  of  a  pioneer  in  natural  science.  And 
when  that  work  consists  largely  of  papers  printed  in 
scattered  magazines,  some  of  which  do  not  possess  a  dis 
tinctively  scientific  character,  the  task  becomes  doubly 
difficult.  In  the  case  of  the  work  of  Rafinesque  it  is 
not  only  that  he  published  in  magazines  of  this  ephem 
eral  character,  but  that  his  work  pertains  to  two  conti 
nents,  which  makes  the  final  estimate  extremely  difficult. 
His  papers  are  now  rare,  notwithstanding  the  great 
liberality  with  which  he  distributed  them  among  scien 
tific  men.  He  disdained  beauty  and  conventionality, 
ignored  typographical  art,  and  his  larger  works,  books, 
and  extended  memoirs,  were  printed  mostly  in  small  and 
cheap  editions,  and  none  of  them  may  be  regarded  justly 
as  fair  exhibitions  of  the  book-maker's  art. 

Rafinesque's  literary  activity  began  in  1803,  when 
he  published  his  first  paper,  a  work  devoted  to  notes 
on  certain  birds,  which  he  had  seen  in  Peale's  Museum, 


74  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

in  Philadelphia,  and  extends  uninterruptedly  until  1840, 
the  year  of  his  death.  The  number  and  character  of 
his  papers  differ  in  such  marked  manner  that  there 
may  be  recognized,  justly,  three  separate  periods,  during 
each  one  of  which  his  work  had  a  distinguishing  char 
acter.  The  first  may  be  said  to  comprehend  all  the 
published  work  of  Rafinesque  during  his  Sicilian  resi 
dence;  the  second,  and  also  the  period  of  most  valu 
able  literary  effort,  will  include  the  years  of  residence 
in  Lexington;  the  third,  the  period  of  vagaries,  will 
comprehend  the  fifteen  years  of  second  residence  in 
Philadelphia.  Under  these  three  major  classifications, 
then,  we  will  attempt  an  analysis  of  his  scientific 
writings. 

SCIENTIFIC  WORK  IN  SICILY. 

The  work  of  Rafinesque  on  the  fishes  of  the  Medi 
terranean  Sea,  in  that  portion  which  borders  Sicily,  was 
the  first  of  its  kind  to  possess  any,  really  scientific, 
value.  Many  new  species  and  genera  of  fishes  were 
discovered  by  him;  and  the  results  of  considerable  of 
his  ichthyologic  work  are  still  held  to  be  valid.  This 
work  was  accomplished  while  Rafinesque  was  yet  a 
young  man.  He  had  gone  to  Sicily  fired  with  a  love 
for  every  thing  natural ;  his  zeal  had  been  intensified 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  75 

by  a  few  years'  residence  in  the  United  States,  during 
which  period  he  was  associated  with  onr  earliest  natu 
ralists,  who  had,  at  least,  that  enthusiasm  which  always 
results  from  work  in  a  virgin  field.  His  new  surround 
ings  were  full  of  incentives  to  work ;  his  early  training 
had  disposed  him  to  wide  observation;  successful  busi 
ness  ventures  had  provided  means  for  travel  and  collec 
tion;  a  famous  naturalist,  Swainson,  was  with  him,  to 
encourage  and  to  help.  Add  to  these  the  fact  that  the 
fishes  and  shells,  the  plants  and  the  animals  of  the  land 
were  unknown,  or,  if  known,  were  not  fully  understood, 
and  the  extraordinary  character  of  much  of  Rafinesque's 
work  will  be  explained.  In  the  midst  of  a  profligate 
Nature  he  saw,  on  every  hand,  subjects  for  note  and 
formal  memoir.  During  this  period  of  his  scientific  life 
those  discursive  habits  of  thought,  which  must  result 
from  a  training  such  as  he  had  received,  rendered  less 
exact  a  pen  that  otherwise  might  have  done  valuable 
service  in  the  cause  of  original  human  knowledge. 

The  published  work  of  Rafinesque  on  the  Sicilian 
fishes  departed  widely  from  the  accustomed  methods  of 
study  and  classification,  which  had  obtained  in  Kurope, 
and  especially  among  the  French  savants.  He  made 
careful  notes,  that  is  as  careful  as  Rafinesque  ever  made, 
of  the  objects  he  described,  from  the  fresh  and  living 


76  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

specimens.  The  markets  and  the  fishermen  furnished 
his  materials.  He  borrowed,  from  the  work  of  others, 
information  and  facts  as  suited  his  purposes;  he  was  not 
always  as  careful  to  give  full  credit,  as  is  the  modern 
writer,  to  the  sources  of  his  information.  This  sub 
jected  him  to  severe  criticism;  yet,  be  it  remembered, 
little  had  previously  been  learned  concerning  his  field 
of  work.  Cuvier,  a  great  naturalist,  but  one  who  was 
entitled  also  to  the  appellation  of  u closet  naturalist" 
more  justly,  perhaps,  than  any  other  man  of  his  day, 
finds  fault  with  Rafinesque  for  divers  reasons.  The 
criticism  which  he  offered  is  the  first  severe  one  that 
had  occurred  in  contemporaneous  literature.  He  said 
of  Rafinesque's  "Indice  d'1  Ittiologia  Siciliana  "/ 

"  He  has  besides  entered  in  his  catalogue,  without  examination, 
all  the  species  given  by  L,acepede  and  Linnaeus  as  belonging  to  the 
Mediterranean,  which  has  caused  him  to  reckon  several  which  are 
purely  imaginary,  and  this  extends  even  to  his  genera :  thus  his 
Aodon,  taken  from  L,acepede,  is  the  Rate  cephahptere  ;  his  Macro- 
rhapus,  taken  from  the  same  source,  is  the  Centriscus.  He  has  greatly 
multiplied  the  genera,  and  sometimes  on  slight  grounds;  so  that, 
without  reckoning  those  which  are  not  inhabitants  of  the  Mediter 
ranean,  there  are  139;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  his  readiness  to 
make  these  divisions,  he  has  not  done  so  in  circumstances  in  which 
it  would  be  imperatively  commanded  by  the  laws  of  classification. 
He  leaves,  for  instance,  the  anchovy  in  the  herring  genus,  and  the 
plaice  in  that  of  the  sole;  while  of  the  single  L,innean  genus  Squalus 
he  has  made  sixteen."  "  These  two  works  are,  nevertheless,"  con- 


Constanttne  Samuel  Rafinesque.  77 

tinues  Cuvier,  "very  worthy  of  attention,  on  account  of  some 
original  ideas,  and  of  the  descriptions  and  figures  of  the  fishes 
themselves,  which  are  to  be  found  nowhere  else.  The  author  also 
has  paid  attention  to  the  Sicilian  names  of  most  of  his  species."* 

Of  this  work  of  Rafinesque  on  the  fishes  of  Sicily, 
perhaps  no  better  judge  could  be  found  than  Swainson 
himself,  the  companion  and  friend  of  Rafinesque.  He 
was  familiar  both  with  the  objects  described,  and  the 
conditions  under  which  they  came  to  the  hand  of  their 
nomenclator.  Says  Swainson,  in  a  defense  of  the  work 
of  Rafinesque: 

"The  year  1810  was  remarkable  in  the  annals  of  our  science 
for  the  appearance  of  two  important  works  on  the  ichthyology  of 
the  Mediterranean;  one  was  by  M.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz, f  subse 
quently  Professor  of  Natural  History  in  Lexington,  U.  S. ;  the  other, 
relative  chiefly  to  the  fishes  of  Nice,  was  from  the  pen  of  M.  Risso. 
The  first  of  these  is  of  much  importance ;  and  from  particular 
circumstances,  will  claim  more  of  our  attention  than  would  at  first 
appear  necessary.  M.  Rafinesque's  Sicilian  works  are  now  become 
so  very  scarce  s(the  greater  part  of  the  unsold  copies  having  been 
lost  at  sea),  that  few  naturalists  will  have  the  power  of  consulting 
them.  His  chief  ichthyological  work  is  a  synopsis  of  '  New  Genera 
and  Species  of  Animals  and  Plants '  found  by  the  author  in  Sicily ; 

*  Quoted  by  Swainson  in  L,ardner's  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  Vol.  I,  p.  60, 
1838-1839. 

t Rafinesque  says,  in  his  "Life  of  Travels",  p.  34:  "Prudent  considerations 
had  already  induced  me  to  add  the  name  of  Schmaltz,  my  mother's  name, 
to  my  own  and  to  pass  for  an  American."  These  considerations  are,  properly, 
to  be  connected  with  the  Sicilian  and  French  wars  of  his  time. 


7  8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

and  this  was  followed  by  a  pamphlet  entitled  '  Indie e  d }  Ittiologia 
Sidliana\  The  details  of  the  new  views  of  M.  Rafinesque,  in  regard 
to  classification,  are  too  long  to  be  inserted  in  this  volume,  but  they 
will  be  occasionally  adverted  to.  The  faults  that  have  been  dwelt 
upon*  in  these  two  works  are  such  as  all  authors,  even  M.  Cuvier 
himself,  is  not  exempt  from ;  they  seem  to  us,  in  short,  too  trivial 
for  the  notice  of  the  historian,  and  too  general  to  be  affixed  to  any 
one  author  in  particular.  We  freely  admit  that  M.  Rafinesque  (then 
living,  as  we  were,  in  a  remote  part  of  Europe,  cut  off,  by  the  late 
war,  from  all  intercourse  with  the  Continent)  was  not  well  informed 
upon  the  current  and  almost  daily  discoveries  going  on  there ;  and 
that  some  few  of  his  species,  then  supposed  new,  were  really  not  so : 
but  who  is  exempt  from  such  errors,  if  errors  they  are  ?  or  how  are 
such  co-incidents  to  be  prevented,  when  naturalists,  in  distant 
places,  and  unknown  to  each  other,  are  working  at  the  same  time 
on  the  same  subject?  On  the  other  hand,  it  must  not  be  concealed 
that  M.  Rafinesque  anticipated,  by  nearly  ten  years,  a  verj^  large 
proportion  of  the  generic  and  subgeneric  distinctions  subsequently 
taken  up  in  the  Regne  Animal,  in  the  first  edition  of  which  it  is 
clear  that  its  learned  author  was  totally  unacquainted  with  the  works 
above  mentioned,  or  that  he  was  unconsciously  repeating,  under  new 
names,  a  considerable  number  of  the  genera  and  subgenera  long 
before  established  in  the  volumes  of  Professor  Rafinesque.  It  would 
have  been  well  had  these  unintentional  errors  been  rectified  in  the 
second  edition,  or  in  the  general  ichthyological  work  of  MM.  Cuvier 
and  Valenciennes ;  but  they  are  not  so ;  and  naturalists  will  judge 
how  far  this  is  consonant  with  common  justice,  or  with  that  law 
of  priority  which  is  the  only  safe-guard  to  the  reputation  we  all 
covet.  The  generic  characters  of  Rafinesque  are  as  simple  and 
intelligible  as  those  of  Ljnnseus,  and  the  derivation  of  their  names 
strictly  classical  and  euphonious.  In  regard  to  the  majority  of 

*  Mentioned  above   in   the   extract  relating  to  Cuvier's  criticisms.     [R.  E.  C.] 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  79 

those  species  which  have  been  termed  '  imaginary ',  or  inaccurately 
described,  our  firm  conviction  is,  that  nearly  all,  eventually,  will  be 
as  fully  established  as  those  of  the  best  known  in  our  systems.  We 
have  formed  this  opinion,  not  from  theory,  but  from  actual  obser 
vation,  and  from  having  verified,  in  many  instances,  the  validity  of 
Rafinesque's  characters.  The  truth  is,  that  Sicily  is  perhaps  the 
richest  field  for  the  ichthyologist,  of  any  yet  explored  in  the  Medi 
terranean,  in  whose  warm  and  prolific  waters,  washing  the  tranquil 
shores  of  so  many  islands,  an  immense  variety  of  fish  are  constantly 
found.  Besides  these  two  works,  more  especially  devoted  to  the 
ichthyology  of  Sicily,  many  other  papers  by  the  same  author  are 
scattered  in  the  periodical  publications  of  Palermo ;  and  he  has  also 
given  a  most  original  and  valuable  account  of  the  fishes  of  the  great 
river  Ohio." 

The  same  writer  gives  additional  information,  in  trie 
form  of  a  foot-note,  that  is  quite  useful  in  determining 
the  character  of  Rafinesque's  methods  during  the  time 
he  studied  the  fishes  of  Sicily.  Says  he: 

"  In  further  justification  of  the  opinions  here  advanced,  it  may 
be  proper  for  me  to  state  that  I  had  the  pleasure  of  M.  Rafinesque's 
society,  during  "the  three  years  of  my  official  residence  in  Sicily, 
from  1807  to  1810,  and  again  in  1812,  when  we  were  both  at  Palermo, 
prosecuting  our  botanical  and  ichthyological  researches  together. 
Circumstances  have  hitherto  prevented  me  from  giving  them  to  the 
public ;  but  an  extensive  series  of  drawings  and  descriptions,  made 
from  the  life,  of  the  Sicilian  fishes,  not  only  confirms  the  accuracy 
of  M.  Rafinesque,  in  many  instances  where  he  has  been  charged 
with  error,  but  affords  strong  ground  for  believing  that  one  half  of 
the  Sicilian  species,  said  to  be  found  also  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
Britain,  etc.,  are,  in  reality,  quite  distinct.  M.  Rafinesque,  unfortu- 


8o  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

nately,  was  unable  to  publish  more  than  a  synopsis  of  his  ichthyo- 
logical  discoveries ;  and  his  figures,  being  very  slight,  are  often  not 
calculated  to  clear  up  those  doubts  which  the  brevity  of  his  descrip 
tions  sometimes  creates;  nevertheless,  to  one  who  examines  the 
species  on  the  spot,  in  a  fresh  state,  there  are  few  which  may  not 
be  identified.  M.  Cuvier  often  asserts  that  all  M.  Rafinesque's 
species  were  described  from  preserved  specimens,  but  this  is  an 
error — they  were  all  taken  from  the  life.  We  both  used  to  frequent 
the  fish-markets,  and  we  procured  all  our  specimens  there,  or  from 
fishermen  who  were  in  our  employ.  I  was  frequently  urgent  with 
my  friend  to  preserve,  at  least,  such  as  were  the  most  remarkable 
of  his  new  genera,  anticipating  the  incredulity  that  has  since  been 
attached  to  them;  but  this  advice,  unfortunately,  he  never  adopted. 
The  greater  part  of  those  which  I  examined,  after  being  drawn  and 
described,  were  thrown  away,  or  eaten ;  a  military  life  not  being 
suited  to  the  formation  of  such  collections ;  but  many  of  those 
species  met  with  near  Palermo,  were  preserved  in  spirits  and  sent 
to  the  British  and  Zoological  Museums;  few,  however,  of  these  are 
now  in  existence.  One  cause,  perhaps,  of  the  errors  of  M.  Cuvier 
regarding  the  Mediterranean  fishes,  may  be  that  he  had  only 
examined  preserved  specimens,  either  distorted  by  stuffing,  or 
bleached  and  shrivelled  by  alcohol,  so  that  it  becomes  often  difficult 
to  recognise  the  most  common  species.  If  I  have  dwelt  too  long 
on  this  subject,  I  hope  the  benevolent  and  candid  reader  will  excuse 
me;  it  has  originated  in  my  desire  to  do  adequate,  though  tardy, 
justice  to  one  whose  whole  life  has  been  devoted  to  science,  and  who 
has  been  singularly  unfortunate  in  his  worldly  concerns;  who, 
notwithstanding  his  eccentricities,  has  a  kind  and  benevolent  heart; 
and  whose  labours  have  never  been  appreciated  as  I  think  they 
deserve." 

It  is  with   some  marked   degree   of  pleasure  that,  to 
this    favorable    estimate    of    Swainson    on    the    value    of 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  81 

Rafinesque's  work,  there  is  to  be  added  the  statement 
that,  almost  yearly,  in  some  one  or  another  of  the 
scientific  journals  and  periodicals,  or  in  the  proceedings 
of  learned  societies,  occasional  recognition  is  accorded  to 
some  of  the  genera  established  by  Rafinesque's  Sicilian 
work.  Gradually  the  real,  underlying  facts  are  coming 
to  be  known,  and  when  known  there  are  not  wanting 
men  to  do  him  justice.  A  feeling  quite  distinct  from 
that  which  prompted  the  adverse  criticisms  of  Cuvier  is 
apparent  in  the  work  even  of  those  who  refuse  to  allow 
him  his  names;  they  attempt,  at  least,  to  understand  the 
work  which  this  pioneer  in  Sicilian  ichthyology  had 
accomplished. 

The  study  of  the  fishes  of  Sicily  is  almost  the  sole 
zoological  work  of  real  and  lasting  value  performed  by 
Rafinesque  while  a  resident  of  that  country.  It  formed 
the  ground-work  of  the  whole  subsequent  superstructure ; 
it  was  the  first  one  to  illustrate  the  forms  described. 
It  partakes  of  the  fault  common  to  all  the  natural  history 
work  of  the  time,  in  that  the  generic  and  specific  diag 
noses  are  brief,  and  altogether  unsatisfactory,  when  meas 
ured  by  modern  standards.  But  it  was  a  pioneer  study; 
it  became  the  real  foundation  of  all  that  followed  it. 

One  of  the  more  interesting  facts  connected  with  this 
work  of  Rafinesque  consists  in  the  circumstance  that 


82  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

he  early  recognized  the  artificial  character  of  the  L-in- 
nsean  system  in  use  in  the  classification  of  plants.  He 
was  a  close  student  of  Jussieu,  upon  whose  system 
most  of  his  own  botanical  work  was  based.  During  the 
period  of  these  Sicilian  publications  Rafinesque  pro 
posed  various  arrangements  and  methods  of  classifica 
tion,  not  alone  of  plants  but  of  all  organized  bodies. 
It  hardly  need  be  said  that  these  systems  were  not 
checked  by  that  wide  observation,  and  by  that  careful 
comparison  of  material,  gathered  from  all  the  quarters 
of  the  globe,  which  alone  could  make  a  system  of  per 
manent  value.  His  schemes  experienced  the  same  fate 
that  all  systems,  which  are  based  upon  limited  obser 
vation,  must  have  befall  them.  They  are  regarded  now 
as  scientific  curiosities.  Of  these  Rafinesque's  Principes 
Fondamentaux  de  Somiologie,  etc.,  and  his  Ordini  Eltro- 
logicl  o  Definizioni  Ordini,  etc.,  easily  have  the  first  place. 
Numerous  articles  of  similar  character  may  be  noted 
in  the  Specchio  delle  Scienze,  etc.;  the  Analysis  of  Na 
ture,  or  Survey  of  the  Universe  and  the  Organized 
Beings,  is  an  elaborate  attempt  of  the  same  import. 

Another  literary  venture  of  Rafinesque,  in  this  period 
of  Sicilian  residence,  was  the  proposed  reprint  or  reissue 
of  the  Panphyton  Siculum  of  Cupani.  This  famous 
and  rare  work  was  found  by  Rafinesque  in  the  library 


Constantine  Samuet  Rafinesque.  83 

of  the  Jesuit  Fathers,  at  Palermo.  With  the  design  of 
making  it  more  accessible  to  others  he  had  the  entire 
work  copied  "on  oil  paper  at  great  expeuce".  Some 
thing  like  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  the  seven  hun 
dred  plates  he  had  engraved;  most  of  them  were  devoted 
to  the  illustration  of  Sicilian  plants.  The  work  was 
never  completed;  all  that  is  known  of  the  venture  is 
the  statement  by  Rafinesque,  in  his  "Life  of  Travels", 
that  these  plates  went  down  in  the  Race  Rock  ship 
wreck  off  New  London.  The  idea  of  a  complete  cop}' 
of  this  work,  made  in  the  manner  described,  seems  to 
have  had  its  inception  in  another  plan  of  Rafinesque 
to  monograph  the  natural  history  of  Sicily  entirely  and 
completely.  Most  of  the  leisure  of  the  ten  years'  resi 
dence  in  the  island  was  devoted  to  the  collection  and 
study  of  natural  objects  with  the  one  purpose,  ever  in 
mind,  of  some  day  completing  this  self-imposed  task. 
In  some  certain  sense  this  will  account  for  the  wide 
range  over  which  his  studies  and  writings,  at  that 
time,  extended.  Much  of  his  work  finally  found  its 
way  into  print  through  the  medium  of  various  scientific 
journals,  and  through  the  medium  of  the  journal  which 
Rafinesque  himself  established,  and  carried  to  the  comple 
tion  of  the  second  volume,  the  Specchio  delle  Scienze,  etc. 
Writing  on  many  subjects,  and  without  monographic 


84  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

care,  it   is   not   wonderful    that    many   papers    published 
during  this  time  possess  so  little  real  value. 

An  episode  of  considerable  interest  occurred  in  the 
last  year  of  Rafinesque's  Sicilian  residence.  It  was  the 
reception  of  his  first  diploma  of  membership  in  a  learned 
society.  The  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Naples 
bestowed  the  honor.  The  item  is  insignificant  in  itself, 
but  it  seems  to  have  aroused  a  desire  in  him  for  other 
similar  honors.  The  method  by  which  some  of  these 
doubtless  were  secured  may  be  gathered  from  a  letter 
by  Rafinesque,  published  a  few  years  since.*  This 
letter  is  here  presented  in  full,  not  only  for  the  reason 
above  assigned,  but  also  because  it  indicates  that  Rafin 
esque  had  in  mind,  for  the  cryptogamia  at  least,  an 
extensive  work  on  American  plants,  and  thus  helps 
to  a  further  understanding  of  the  wide  range  of  his 
literary  efforts.  The  letter  runs  as  follows: 

"  PALERMO,  Jan.  28,  1807. 
"  DOCTOR  M.  CUTLER. 

Dear  Sir . —  I  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  last  month,  via  Mar 
seilles,  your  esteemed  favor  of  8th  May  last,  and  being  the  first 
that  reached  me  from  you  since  I  am  in  Europe,  you  may  easily 
conceive  how  gratifying  it  has  been.  I  perceive  by  it  that  you  had 
formerly  wrote  me  and  sent  me  some  plants  via  Leghorn,  which 
both  never  came  to  hand,  and  I  regret  it  exceedingly,  but  have  no 

*I,ife,  Journal,  and  Correspondence  of  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  LX,.  D. 
Vol.  II,  pp.  311-314.  1888.  Robert  Clarke  &  Co.,  Cincinnati. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  85 

doubt  but  that  the  next  parcel  you  have  the  goodness  to  promise 
me  will  make  up  that  loss. 

"  I  feel  very  sorry  for  the  disorders  you  have  experienced  and 
regret  that,  conjointly  with  some  business,  they  have  prevented  you 
to  arrange  your  herbarium  and  favor  us  with  another  essay  on  the 
plants  of  New  England,  but  trust  that  God  will  grant  you  health 
and  leisure  to  accomplish  both,  and  hope  that  you  will  at  least  favor 
me  with  the  catalogue  and  descriptions  promised;  they  will  be 
gratefully  acknowledged  and  mentioned  when  I  shall  publish  my 
travels  and  essays  on  the  Nat'l  Hist,  of  the  Plants  of  the  U.  S.,  and 
expect  soon  to  receive  the  plants  you  mention  to  prepare,  one  of 
which  you  say  is  a  new  genus,  and  if  it  be  correct  I  am  willing  to 
name  it  Cutlera,  and  alter  the  other  plant  named  so.  I  trust  you  will 
renew  occasionally,  or  at  least  once  every  year,  sending  me  a  large 
parcel  of  plants ;  you  know  already  most  of  those  I  want,  but  to  refresh 
your  memory  you  will  find  hereunder  the  names  of  the  principals, 
as  well  as  the  names  of  the  plants  lost  in  the  passage,  which  I  don't 
doubt  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  collect  for  me  this  season.  My 
friends,  Messrs  Dawes,  Ingersoll,  etc.,  of  Boston,  who  propose 
returning  to  Sicily  this  year,  will  by  my  desire  acquaint  you  with 
the  time  of  their  departure.  Any  Captain  coming  from  Salem  to 
Palermo,  and  they  are  many  in  the  course  of  the  year,  will  also 
willingly  take  charge  of  such  things  for  me,  and  in  default  you  may 
address  any  package  or  letter  to  my  friends  here-under  mentioned 
in  several  ports  of  the  Mediterranean. 

"  In  return  of  your  kindness,  and  according  to  your  desire,  I 
now  send  you  a  parcel  of  Sicily  plants,  to  which  I  join  a  few 
specimens  of  n.  sp.  of  American  plants,  such  as  I  can  conveniently 
spare.  Here-under  you  have  the  particulars  of  same.  I  hope  they 
will  prove  acceptable.  Among  the  Sicilian  plants  there  are  many 
new  sp.  I  have  discovered.  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  have  no  curious 
seed  to  join  to  them  at  present.  I  inclose  three  copper  plates  of 
as  many  new  American  criptogamic  Genera  Carpanthus,  Volvaria, 


86  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

and  Aedyeio.  I  get  many  others  engraved  here,  and  intend  they 
should  make  part  of  an  essay  on  the  natural  history  of  American 
fungi,  that  I  shall  publish  in  more  peaceable  times.  I  shall  make 
it  a  point  to  forward  you  my  productions.  I  contemplate  a  natural 
history  of  all  the  vegetables  in  America,  and  perhaps  the  animals 
likewise,  and  whatever  communications  on  those  beings  you  may 
choose  to  make  will  be  highly  acceptable. 

"  My  leisure  is  now  wholly  engaged  in  investigating  the  Nat. 
history  of  this  Island,  which  I  likewise  contemplate  to  achieve,  and 
I  am  already  very  far  advanced  with  the  plants,  Birds,  Fishes,  and 
Mollusks,  and  I  shall  soon  begin  the  remaining  classes. 

"  It  has  always  been  my  wish  to  be  associated  to  some  American 
philosophical  or  botanical  Society  or  Academy,  and  I  suppose  it 
would  not  be  very  difficult  to  be  aggregated  as  Corresp'd  Member 
through  your  means;  and  in  case  it  should  not  be  so  easy  as  I 
conceive,  please  to  point  out  to  me  the  means  to  become  such.  If 
communications,  presents  of  books  or  Natural  curiosities,  should  be 
necessary  before  or  after,  I  am  willing  to  send  such  as  you  will 
think  most  proper.  Your  particular  attention  to  this  will  infinitely 
oblige  me. 

"Please  to  mention  what  new  books  or  discoveries  have  been 
published  in  America  on  any  part  of  Natural  history. 

"  If  your  friend  Mr.  Wm.  Peck,  or  any  other  gentleman,  would 
also  enter  into  a  Botanical  Correspondence  with  me,  it  would  be 
very  gratifying  for  me.  Pray  what  has  the  Erica  returned  to  some 
Andromeda  or  Dabcecia?  or  what? 

"  I  remain,  truly, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE  SCHMALTZ, 

Chancellor  of  the  American  Consulat,  Palermo. 

"  P.  S.  I  could  not  get  the  parcel  of  plants  ready  for  this  oppor 
tunity,  but  I  shall  send  them  by  another,  the  William  Gray,  that 
sails  for  Salem  in  fifteen  days,  and  the  Super.,  Mr.  Waldo,  will  take 
charge  of  them." 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesqtte.  87 

The  circle  of  acquaintance  with  men  of  science,  which 
Rafinesque  assiduously  sought  ever  to  widen,  included 
very  many  of  the  foremost  naturalists  of  Hurope.  Dur 
ing  his  Sicilian  residence  he  corresponded  with  very 
many  of  the  men  who  have  been  famous  in  French 
annals  of  science;  his  acquaintance  with  the  naturalists 
of  Italy  appears  also  to  have  been  cordial,  and  quite 
complete.  Wherever  he  could  get  a  new  plant,  find  a 
new  shell,  obtain  new  information,  there  Rafinesque 
sought  and  made  acquaintances.  In  this  way  it  hap 
pens  that  so  many  of  the  names  of  men  who  have 
achieved  renown  in  the  annals  of  European  science 
during  the  earlier  portions  of  this  century  find  a  place 
in  the  personal  memoirs  of  Rafinesque.  That,  in  after 
years,  they  withdrew  from  these  relations  finds  an 
explanation  solely  in  the  fact  that  in  his  published 
writings  he  was  not  always  careful  to  give  proper 
credit  for  information  so  derived,  or  in  the  fact  that 
these  relations  became  strained  from  the  attempt  to 
turn  them  to  purely  personal  ends.  Whatever  may 
have  been  the  real  cause,  but  few  of  all  the  scientific 
men  with  whom  Rafinesque  corresponded,  during  his 
Sicilian  residence,  remained  to  him  in  the  role  of  true 
friends.  Swainson  alone,  in  Bngland,  defended  him  to 
the  last ;  on  the  Continent  there  was  left  not  one. 


The  Life  and  Writings  of 


SCIENTIFIC  WORK  IN  LEXINGTON. 

The  student  of  American  science  will  find  most  of 
interest  in  that  portion  of  Rafinesque's  scientific  work 
which  was  accomplished  during  his  residence  in  Lex 
ington.  In  some  respects  this  period  of  activity  was 
marked  by  certain  features  which  were  identical  with 
those  that  had  determined  his  Sicilian  work.  Rafin- 
esque  was  the  first  naturalist  to  investigate  at  all  fully 
the  natural  history  of  the  Ohio  Valley.  He  found  an 
exhaustless  and  virgin  field.  A  wealth  of  life,  of  every 
sort,  was  in  constant  notice  in  field,  in  wood,  in  stream. 
The  larger  and  most  common  food  fishes  alone  were 
known,  and  these  were,  for  the  greater  part,  without 
scientific  name.  Only  an  occasional  mollusk,  which  had 
found  its  way  to  the  cabinets  of  Europe  from  the  hands 
of  the  earlier  French  residents  along  the  valley,  or  the 
few  forms  which  Say  had  discovered,  were  known  to 
science.  The  birds  and  larger  mammals  had  been  made 
known,  but  in  the  fields  where  Rafinesque  had  worked 
longest  and  best  there  was  a  wealth  of  new  and  unde- 
scribed  forms.  The  temptation  to  publish,  while  yet  the 
nondescripts  found  had  been  but  too  carelessly  studied, 
was  so  great  that  a  flood  of  scientific  papers  proceeded 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  89 

from  the  pen  of  our  author.  These  were  printed  in 
various  magazines,  some  scientific  and  some  literary; 
others  found  a  place  in  the  proceedings  of  learned 
societies ;  still  others  were  projected  in  book  form ; 
many  were  promised  but  never  were  realized.  The 
first  teacher  of  science  west  of  the  Appalachians,  with 
numerous  objects  brought  to  him,  either  through  curi 
osity  or  real  interest,  concerning  which  he  had  opinions 
to  express,  occupying  a  newly  established  science  chair 
in  the  only  western  university,  it  is  little  wonder  that 
Rafinesque  found  so  much  to  interest  him  in  all  direc 
tions,  and  that  he  came  to  be  a  kind  of  Sir  Oracle  in 
the  Kentucky  backwoods. 

The  nature  of  the  papers  printed  during  this  active 
period  of  seven  years  will  be  gleaned  best  from  the 
accompanying  bibliography. 

Two  works  in  particular  deserve  especial  mention  in 
this  connection.  They  are  the  "Fishes  of  the  River 
Ohio",  and  "A  Monograph  of  the  Fluviatile  Bivalve 
Shells  of  the  River  Ohio".  These  works  were  pub 
lished  about  the  same  period,  one  as  a  serial  in  the 
Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  at  Lex 
ington,  and  the  other  as  a  monographic  article  in  the 
Annales  Generales  des  Sciences  Physique,  at  Brussels. 


12 


90  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

THE  FISHES  OF  THE  OHIO. 

The  series  of  papers  on  the  fishes  of  the  Ohio  was 
also  issued  in  separate  form,  the  volume  being  made  up 
of  oversheets  from  the  magazine  mentioned.  The  title 
given  was  the  "  Ichthyologia  Ohiensis".  A  new  brief 
introduction  precedes  the  paper,  which  was  wanting  as 
it  appeared  in  the  Western  Review,  but  in  all  other 
respects  the  work  is  identical.  Since  this  book  has  been 
the  subject  of  a  most  various  comment,  and  since  it  affords 
a  good  index  to  the  characteristic  literary  style  of  Raf- 
inesque,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  it  more  than  a  passing 
mention.  Add  to  this  the  fact  that  it  was  the  first  work 
ever  written  on  the  Ohio  River  fishes,  and  has  thus 
become  the  groundwork  for  all  succeeding  investigations, 
and  it  will  be  granted  that  full  data  respecting  this  re 
markable  book  will  be  justified  in  this  connection.* 

*The  "Ichthyologia  Ohiensis"  is  now  an  extremely  rare  volume.  Very 
few  copies  are  known,  less  than  a  half  dozen  in  all.  The  writer  succeeded 
in  tracing  a  copy  from  the  library  of  the  late  Doctor  Robert  Peter,  of  Lex 
ington,  Kentucky,  through  the  hands  of  Robert  Clarke,  of  Cincinnati,  to 
the  Newberry  Library,  of  Chicago.  Not  only  did  this  institution  refuse  to 
allow  us  to  make  a  photographic  copy  of  the  title-page,  to  illustrate  this 
work,  but  even  refused  to  allow  us  to  see  the  book.  Application  made  at 
the  Librarian's  desk  elicited  only  the  information,  first,  that  the  book  was 
not  in  the  library,  and,  second,  when  confronted  by  the  Librarian's  own  letter 
to  us  acknowledging  possession,  we  were  informed  that  "  the  book  could  not 
be  seen  ".  It  is  felt  that  this  statement  is  due  to  others,  who  may  some  time 
wish  to  consult  rare  books,  in  order  that  time  and  means  should  not  be  wasted 
in  a  fruitless  journey  to  Chicago. 


18SO.  T1SHES  OF  THE  RIVER 

A 

mentioned  by  Lesucur  as  a  variety  of  his  »#;  rubicundus,  page 
390  of  the  Trcms.  Am.  Phil.  Society,  but  it  differs  widely  from 
it. 

100th  Species.  BIGMOUTH  STURGEON,  ^.ccijienser  macroi- 
ttnins.  Eiurgcon  beant.  ,  ^ 

Head  one  fourth  of  total  length,  snout  elongated,  somewhat 
flattened,  eyes  round  Body  cylindrical  deep  brown  above, 
white  beneath.  Tail  elongated;  about  20  dorsal  scales,  seve- 
ta.l  between  the  dorsal  and  anal  fin,  about  30  scales  in  each  lat 
eral  row. 

I  have  net  seen  this  species,  but  Mr.  Audubon  has  commu- 
mealed  me  a  drawing  of  it.  It  is  o:i'y  tumid  in  ihc  lower  parts 
of 'the  Ohio,  and  reaches  four  feet  in  length.  Good  food, 
Mouth  large  gaping,  hanging  down,  retractable.  Gill  cover 
oblong.  Tail  slender,  the  lower  lobe  very  small.  Fins  trape 
zoidal,  the  dorsal  and  anr.l  somewhat  falcated  and  more  distant 
from  the  nil  than  usual.  Lateral  scales  dimidiated. 

XXXII    Genus.     Dovin.i;  FIN.    DIXECTUS.    Uinecte. 

Differs  from  Sturgeon,  by  having  two  dorsal  and  no  abdom 
inal  fins.  First  dorsal  anterior,  the  second  opposed  to  the  anal. 
Three  rows  of  scales  us  in  Xt>  fit-tun. 

This  genus  rcits  altogether  upon  the  uutho •  ity  of  Mr.  Audu- 
bon,  -who  has  presented  me  a  dra.ving  of  the  only  species  be 
longing  to  it.  It  appears  -very  distinct  if  his  drawing-  be  cor 
rect"  but  it  require*  to  be  examined  again.  Is  it  only  a  Stur^ 
gcon  incorrectly  drawn? 

lOUt  Species.     FLATNOSE  D<;u«i.EFlx.  Dincctua  iru*catus.' 

Dinccte  cam  us. 

Hc-.'.d  cr.e  rl'th  «>f  total  length,  conical,  snout  very  short  trun 
cated,  eyes  roxu:'J.  B«xly  cylindrical  deep  brown  above,  silve 
ry  white' beneath.  t-H  elongated:  dorsal  scales,  4  before  the  first 
dorsal  fin,  6  between  the  fins,  and  4  behind  the  second,  lateral 
rows  with  about  30  small  dimidiated  scales. 

This  fish  was  taken  with  the  seine  near  Hendersonvillc  in 
the  soring  of  13 IS  by  Mr.  Audubon.  Length  two  feet,  skin 
very  thfck  and  leathery.  Mouth  very  large  "and  hanging  down 
as  in  the  foregoing,  somewhat  like  a  proboscis.  Pectoral  and 
anal  fins  iruawoidal,  dorsal  tins  nearly  triangular,  the  first  larg- 


FROM  THE  "FISHES  OF  THE  RIVER  OHIO." 

Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  1820. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesgue.  91 

The  title-page  of  this  volume  furnishes  a  good  illus 
tration  of  the  encyclopaedic  character  which  was  given 
to  all  title-pages  during  the  early  part  of  the  century. 
Its  full  reading  is  as  follows: 

Ichthyologia  Ohiensis  |  or  |  Natural  History  |  of  the  Fishes 
Inhabiting  the  |  River  Ohio  |  and  its  Tributary  Streams,  |  Preceded 
by  a  physical  description  of  the  Ohio  and  its  branches  |  by  C.  S. 

Rafinesque,    |   |   Professor  of  Botany  and  Natural  History  in 

Transylvania  University,  Author  of  the  Analysis  of  Nature,  &c.,  &c., 
member  of  the  Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  of  New  York, 
the  Historical  Society  of  New  York,  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History 
of  New  York,  the  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Philadelphia,  the  Ameri 
can  Antiquarian  Society,  the  Royal  Institute  of  Natural  Sciences 
of  Naples,  the  Italian  Society  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  the  Medical 

Societies  of  Lexington  and  Cincinnati,  &c.,  &c.,  | |  The  art  of 

seeing  well,  or  of  noticing  and  distinguishing  with  accuracy  the 
objects  which  we  perceive  is  a  high  faculty  of  the  mind,  unfolded 
in  few  individuals,  and  despised  by  those  who  can  neither  acquire 

it,  nor  appreciate  its  results.  | |  Lexington,  Kentucky,  |  printed 

for  the  Author  by  W.  G.  Hunt,   (price  one  dollar).  |   |  1820. 

(One  volume,  8vo,  pp.  90.) 

The  title-page  reverse  has  the  following: 

These  Pages  |  and  the  Discoveries  which  they  contain  |  in  one 
of  the  principal  Branches  |  of  Natural  History,  |  are  respectfully 
Inscribed  |  by  the  Author  |  To  his  fellow-labourers  in  the  same  field 
of  Science  |  Prof.  Samuel  L.  Mitchill,  M.  D.  |  who  has  described 
the  Atlantic  Fishes  of  New  York,  |  and  to  |  C.  A.  Le  Sueur,  |  who 
was  the  first  to  explore  the  Ichthyology  of  the  Great  American 
Lakes,  etc.  |  In  Token  |  of  Friendship,  Respect,  and  Congratulation. 


92  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

In  this  way  this  remarkable  book  was  launched. 
Many  of  the  descriptions  of  fishes  which  it  contains 
are  still  regarded  as  good ;  they  are,  of  course,  charac 
terized  by  exceeding  briefness,  and  must,  many  of  them, 
be  read  in  connection  with  the  generic  characters  which 
precede  them.  There  was  certainly  no  opportunity  of 
checking  observations  by  the  work  of  others,  because 
the  field  was  wholly  unexplored  and  its  fauna  entirely 
unknown.  It  was  impossible  that  errors  of  more  or  less 
moment  should  not  enter  into  a  book  written  piecemeal  as 
this  one  was.  It  is  also  quite  evident,  to  any  one  who 
has  seen  any  of  the  fishes  of  the  Ohio,  that  most  of  the 
descriptions  are  based  upon  actual  observation.  But  it 
is  also  to  be  remembered  that  the  descriptions  were 
mainly  made  from  the  fresh  and  living  specimens  —  in 
exact  imitation  of  the  method  adopted  by  the  same 
anthor  in  his  work  on  the  fishes  of  Sicily.  These 
descriptions  were  placed  in  his  note-books  and  after 
ward  utilized  in  the  preparation  of  the  serial  papers 
without  the  check  afforded  by  comparison  of  specimens. 
Also,  facts  were  collected  after  the  publication  of  some 
of  the  parts  in  the  Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 
Magazine,  and  these  were  then  introduced,  sometimes 
with  change  of  the  original  names.  A  few  forms  had 
already  been  characterized  in  the  American  Monthly 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  93 

Magazine ;  these  species  were  not  always  kept  distinctly 
in  inind  by  Rafinesque.  The  result  is  a  blending  of 
characters  and  names  that  has  caused  very  much  con 
fusion  among  students  of  American  fresh-water  fishes. 
Add  to  these  the  forms,  described  as  new  or  made  the 
basis  of  new  genera,  that  had  been  "  communicated  by 
Mr.  Audubon"  and  the  chief  elements  of  uncertainty 
are  understood. 

Numerous  attempts  have  been  made  to  determine  the 
exact  fishes  which  Rafinesque  had  before  him  in  writing 
his  notes;  of  these  a  record  of  varying  success  has  been 
made.  President  Jordan,  Messrs.  Copeland,  Girard,  Cope, 
and  L,.  Agassiz,  at  different  times  and  for  different  rea 
sons,  have  attempted  to  settle  these  matters.  While  the 
results  are  not  altogether  satisfactory,  many  names  have 
been  definitively  fixed;  while  a  few  others  have  been 
abandoned.  Among  the  latter  are  the  names  of  the 
fictitious  fishes,  the  drawings  and  descriptions  of  which 
Mr.  Audubon  had  given  to  Rafinesque  "  for  a  practical 
joke",  victimizing  all  future  science  far  more  than  they 
did  Rafinesque.* 

Professor  Louis  Agassiz  wrote,f  in  1854: 

"Nothing  is  more  to  be  regretted  for  the  progress  of  natural 
history  in  this  country  than  that  Rafinesque  did  not  put  up  some- 

*A  list  of  these  forms  will  be  found  on  page  29,  antea,  in  foot-note. 
~\Vide  American  Journal  of  Science,  2d  series,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  354. 


94  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

where  a  collection  of  all  the  genera  and  species  he  had  established, 
with  well-authenticated  labels,  or  that  his  contemporaries  did  not 
follow  in  his  steps,  or  at  least  preserve  the  traditions  of  his  doings, 
instead  of  decrying  him  and  appealing  to  foreign  authority  against 
him.  Tracing  his  course  as  a  naturalist  during  his  residence  in 
this  country,  it  is  plain  that  he  alarmed  those  with  whom  he  had 
intercourse,  by  his  innovations,  and  that  they  preferred  to  lean 
upon  the  authority  of  the  great  naturalists  of  the  age,  then  resid 
ing  in  Europe,  who,  however,  knew  little  of  the  special  natural 
history  of  this  country,  than  to  trust  a  somewhat  hasty  man  who 
was  living  among  them,  and  who  had  collected  a  vast  amount  of 
information  from  all  parts  of  the  States,  upon  a  variety  of  objects 
then  entirely  new  to  science.  From  what  I  can  learn  of  Rafin- 
esque,  I  am  satisfied  that  he  was  a  better  man  than  he  appeared. 
His  misfortune  was  his  prurient  desire  for  novelties  and  his  rash 
ness  in  publishing  them,  and  yet  both  in  Europe  and  America 
he  has  anticipated  most  of  his  contemporaries  in  the  discovery  of 
new  genera  and  species  in  those  departments  of  science  which  he 
has  cultivated  most  perseveringly,  and  it  is  but  justice  to  restore 
them  to  him,  whenever  it  can  be  done." 

To  this  opinion  should  be  added  that  of  Doctor 
Charles  Girard,  who,  writing  two  years  later,*  says: 

"...  We  find  the  laudable  desire  of  attempting  to  bring  back 
into  use  the  long-forgotten  genera  of  Rafinesque,  which  fell  into 
disuse  because  of  their  own  imperfection,  and  if  they  have  not 
passed  into  the  common  nomenclature  of  the  day  it  was  owing 
to  their  defect  more  than  to  the  partiality  of  naturalists;  for  we 
may  well  imagine  how  any  one  would  feel  when  rebuilding  another's 
work,  as  little  known  to  the  author  as  to  the  commentators  them 
selves. 

*Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sciences,  Phila.,  VIII,  165-213,  1856. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesgue.  95 

"And  yet,  for  my  part,  I  have  always  looked  upon  the  resto 
ration  of  Rafinesque's  genera  and  species  as  highly  desirable,  as 
soon  as  they  had  once  been  proposed  and  introduced  into  science 
as  names.  But  in  order  to  do  justice  to  the  scheme,  it  was  neces 
sary  to  the  undertaking  that  one  should  go  to  the  very  ground 
covered  by  Rafinesque  himself  during  all  seasons  of  the  year,  to 
enable  us  to  discriminate  between  that  which  Rafinesque  really 
observed  and  that  which  is  imaginary." 

The  most  serious,  and  at  trie  same  time  most  suc 
cessful,  attempt  to  ascertain  precisely  what  fishes  Rafin 
esque  had  before  him  in  making  his  descriptions  is  that 
of  President  David  S.  Jordan  in  his  "  Review  of  Rafin 
esque's  Memoirs  on  North  American  Fishes",*  in  which 
will  be  found  a  careful  and  well-considered  attempt  to 
settle  these  important  matters.  While  later  the  results 
were  modified  slightly,  this  work  stands  as  a  faithful 
and  judicious  attempt  to  place  Rafinesque  in  his  proper 
relation  to  the  work  of  his  contemporaries  and  succes 
sors.  It  was  the  first,  and,  so  far  as  our  information 
extends,  the  only  attempt  at  identification  which  has 
been  made  from  personal  study  within  the  region  in 
which  Rafinesque  had  fished.  All  the  rest,  or  nearly 
all,  were  attempts  made  to  understand,  from  alcoholic 
materials,  descriptions  which  were  originally  drawn  from 
fresh  specimens  personally  taken  by  Rafinesque,  or 

*  Bulletin  U.  S.  National  Museum,  No.  IX,  1877. 


96  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

obtained  from  fishermen.  The  writer  of  the  "Ichthyo- 
logia  Ohiensis"  had  often  depended  on  memory  without 
the  check  of  careful  notes,  and  in  other  cases  had 
described  scientifically,  from  the  stories  of  others  than 
Audubon,  fishes  which  never  existed.  Eliminating  these 
forms,  which  are  relatively  few  in  number,  there  yet 
remains  a  rather  large  list  of  fishes  that  well  attests  the 
accuracy  of  Rafinesque's  observations  and  his  power  of 
specific  diagnosis. 

The  "  Ichthyologia  Ohieusis"  will  therefore  stand  as 
the  groundwork  of  the  ichthyological  literature  of  the 
great  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  throughout  which  very 
many  of  the  forms  that  it  described  now  range. 

RAFINESQUE'S  WORK  IN  CONCHOLOGY. 

Almost  equally  with  the  work  accomplished  among 
the  fishes  does  Rafinesque's  work  in  the  molluscan 
group  rank  as  fundamental.  In  the  extensive  papers 
published  in  the  Journal  des  Physique  et  Chimie,  etc., 
of  Paris,  Rafinesque  for  the  first  time  called  atten 
tion  to  the  great  wealth,  in  the  western  waters,  of 
animal  life  in  this  branch  of  zoology.  Not  only  did 
he  discover  many  forms  unknown  to  other  naturalists, 
but  he  described  them  well.  He  even  saw  the  wide 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  97 

diversity  that  existed  among  the  great  family  of  the 
Unionidce  and  attempted  to  render  the  group  more 
intelligible  by  instituting  many  subdivisions.  That 
these  were  always  of  value  could  not  now  be  main 
tained;  but  later  students,  unwilling  to  institute  sub- 
genera,  have  found  it  necessary  to  investigate  these 
mollusks  under  a  natural  grouping,  each  division  of 
which  is  headed  by  some  well-known  typical  form.  The 
fact  that  Rafinesque  actually  made  these  divisions  may 
well  be  pardoned,  therefore,  in  the  light  of  the  great 
diversity  of  form  which  the  Ohio  Unionidtz  present. 

Rafinesque  visited  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  for  the  first 
time  in  the  late  summer  of  1818.  The  water  was  low, 
as  it  usually  is  at  that  season,  and  myriads  upon  myriads 
of  fresh-water  univalves,  of  the  family  Strepomatidce, 
were  in  the  shallows  and  pools.  The  numbers  of  shells 
of  this  group,  which  may  be  seen  in  a  single  pool,  is 
incredible  to  one  who  never  has  made  a  visit  to  the 
locality.  They  are  of  various  and  beautiful  coloration 
or  markings;  to  Rafinesque,  who  saw  them  for  the  first 
time,  they  must  have  had  an  irresistible  charm.  Few 
of  the  naturalists  of  America  had  seen  more  than  the 
half  score  of  species  found  in  the  eastern  States;  these 
western  forms  were  practically  unknown.  They  consti 
tuted  the  subject  of  extended  notice  in  the  Brussels 


98  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Annales,  and  so  this  work  becomes  of  historic  impor 
tance  to  the  student  of  mollusca.  Only  recently  there 
has  been  made  an  attempt  to  interpret  Rafinesque's 
descriptions  and  figures  from  abundant  material  col 
lected  at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  results  appear 
to  be  commensurable  with  those  reached  by  the  students 
of  the  fishes.  There  are,  indeed,  the  same  short  and 
often  faulty  diagnoses,  the  same  disregard  of  formal 
notes  that  should  have  been  made  on  the  spot,  the 
same  crudity  in  generalization  that  affords  just  subject 
of  criticism  to  the  student  of  fishes.  But  Rafinesque's 
conchologic  nomenclature  appears  to  be  better  under 
stood  than  does  that  of  his  fishes;  at  least  this  is  true 
outside  of  the  family  of  Unionidce.  In  this  connection 
the  remark  made  by  President  Jordan,  in  his  report  on 
the  Fishes  of  Ohio,*  may  be  quoted  as  especially  appli 
cable  to  the  work  which  Rafinesque  did  in  the  mollusca: 

"...  I  may  say  that  Rafinesque's  work  as  a  whole  is  bad  enough, 
and  bad  in  a  peculiarly  original  and  exasperating  way,  but  that 
it  is  much  better  than  some  of  its  critics  have  considered  it,  and 
that  the  trouble  it  has  occasioned  in  nomenclature  is  due  to  a 
large  extent  to  causes  not  inherent  in  the  character  of  the  work. 
A  certain  amount  of  conservative  odium  always  attaches  to  a 
writer  who  attempts  to  form  natural  genera  out  of  time-honored 
artificial  combinations." 

*  Geological  Survey  of  Ohio,  Vol.  IV,  Zoology  and  Botany,  p.  741,  1882. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  99 

I  do  not  think  that  Rafinesque  has  always  received 
fair  treatment  at  the  hands  of  American  conchologists. 
He  has  been  traduced,  and  in  one  instance,  at  least,  a 
concerted  attempt  has  been  made  to  ignore  his  work 
and  to  reflect  on  his  scientific  reputation.*  From  these 
facts  it  has  resulted  that  others  have  been  influenced 
in  forming  their  opinions  of  his  work,  not  having  the 
opportunity,  assuming  that  they  had  the  inclination,  to 

*My  library  contains  a  small  pamphlet,  with  the  following  title:  "Cata 
logue  |  of  the  |  Unios  \  Alasmodontas,  and  Anodontas  \  of  the  \  Ohio  River  and 
its  Northern  J"ributaries,  \  adopted  by  the  \  Western  Academy  of  Natural  Sci 
ences,  \  of  Cincinnati,  January,  1849.  |  Cincinnati;  \  Printed  by  J.  A.  &  U.  P. 

James,  \ |  ".  This  small  catalogue  of  nineteen  pages  recognizes  sixty-seven 

species  of  these  three  subgenera.  Of  these  species  three  of  Unio  are  cred 
ited  to  Rafinesque;  a  large  number  of  the  other  names  which  he  gave  to 
forms  are  listed  under  the  synonymy  of  various  species  described  by  other 
writers,  notably  Say,  Hildreth,  Barnes,  and  Lea.  This  pamphlet  had  its  origin 
in  a  determined  attempt  to  recognize  none  of  Rafinesque's  species.  A  very 
interesting  fact  connected  with  its  design  lies  in  the  mention  of  a  similar 
matter  by  Dr.  Lea,  who  says  (Synopsis  of  the  Family  Unionidcz,  1870,  p.  xxx,) 
that  the  Ohio  naturalists,  Hildreth,  Kirtland,  Ward,  Buchanan,  and  Clark,  also 
made  out  a  list  in  which  they  gave  one  species  only  to  Rafinesque  out  of  a 
total  of  one  hundred  and  nineteen!  It  is  a  fact  of  great  moment  to  note 
that  possibly  these  gentlemen,  who  were  interested  as  descriptive  naturalists 
in  this  same  group,  may  have  rendered  not  a  fair  judgment.  It  is  also 
important  to  note  that  Rafinesque's  descriptions  appear  to  have  been  drawn 
so  accurately  that  these  gentlemen  could  recognize  them,  and  place  them  as 
synonyms  under  names  which  they  and  their  friends  had  attempted  to  es 
tablish.  It  will  always  be  considered  by  future  students  that  this  treatment 
of  Rafinesque  was  unfair,  unjustifiable,  contrary  to  the  true  spirit  of  science, 
and  inimicable  to  the  best  interests  of  knowledge.  The  final  classification 
of  the  Unionidcz  has  yet  to  be  made. 


ioo  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

obtain  information  at  first  hand.  Even  Mr.  Lea,  who 
reviews  the  matter  with  some  detail  in  his  Synopsis  of 
the  Family  Unionidce,  edition  of  1870,  does  not  seem  to 
be  entirely  free  from  prejudice,  notwithstanding  that  he 
declares  he  "  studied  his  [Rafinesque's]  works  faithfully, 
without  prejudice,  and  certainly  without  profit,  losing 
much  time  ineffectually".  In  short,  it  would  appear 
that  Mr.  Idea's  explanation  of  his  treatment  of  Rafin 
esque's  species  is  less  an  attempt  to  unravel  the  diffi 
culties  of  the  matter,  and  do  justice  to  all  concerned, 
than  an  attempt  at  a  justification  of  a  method  which 
entirely  disregarded  the  work  Rafinesque  had  accom 
plished.  One  can  not  but  feel  that,  if  more  generous 
impulses  had  prevailed  among  the  naturalists  who  wrote 
from  1825  to  1870,  much  of  the  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
recognition  of  the  species  established  by  Rafinesque 
and  others  would  have  been  avoided.  Jealousies  of  the 
most  pronounced  character  entered  into  the  matter,  and 
a  general  wrangle  ensued  which  eventually  involved 
nearly  all  the  conchologists  of  this  country.  In  the 
discussions  which  resulted,  Rafinesque  and  his  views 
were  quite  lost  to  sight.  Only  of  late  years  his  claims 
have  been  advanced  again.  Both  Mr.  Say  and  Mr. 
Conrad,  well  known  for  work  on  the  members  of  the 
family  Unionidce,  have  published  lists  in  which  some  of 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  101 

Rafinesque's  names  are  made  a  leading  term,  but  the 
unfortunate  fact  remains  that  these  lists  were  in  part 
the  result  of  the  antagonisms  which  prevailed  among 
the  earlier  conchologists.  Each  felt,  or  fancied,  that  he 
had  not  received  proper  consideration  at  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Lea,  and  so  there  resulted  some  forced  recognitions 
of  Rafinesque's  species,  in  the  hope  that  Mr.  Lea's 
names  would  fall  into  synonymy.  This  very  unpleasant 
episode  in  American  malacology  would  better  be  passed 
in  silence  were  it  not  that  it  must  come  into  observation 
when  the  final  revision  of  the  Unionidte  is  undertaken. 
The  results  reached  by  Rafinesque  in  fossil  con- 
chology  do  not  possess  the  value  which  attaches  to 
his  work  in  recent  shells.  Many  of  the  genera  charac 
terized  by  him  are  faulty  in  so  many  particulars, 
and  have  such  imperfect  description,  that,  if  quoted  at 
all,  they  are  relegated  to  tables  of  names  of  inserta 
sedis.  However,  one,  a  very  common  genus,  from  the 
Devonian,  known  as  Strophomena,  yet  remains,  of  all 
Rafinesque  described,  to  indicate  that  he  did  some  work 
in  the  brachiopoda.  Among  corals  his  Devonian  genus 
Zaphrentis  yet  stands  and  represents  almost  the  sum  of 
his  studies  in  the  ccelenterates.  The  great  majority 
of  his  generic  and  other  names  bestowed  upon  fossils  at 
one  time  or  another  has  been  shown  to  be  valueless. 


io2  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

In  respect  to  land  shells  Rafinesque's  names  have 
fared  far  better.  A  number  of  his  genera  are  still 
recognized,  and  are  in  common  nse.  Since  most  or  all 
of  the  work  which  he  did  in  this  branch  was  nnique 
for  its  time,  and  since  his  aptitude  for  forming  generic 
names  was  most  happy  in  the  matter  of  the  choice  of 
the  terminology  employed,  it  is  with  pleasure  that  one 
chronicles  the  fact  that  many  yet  stand  in  the  various 
systems.  Among  them  are  Triodopsis,  Mesodon,  Steno- 
trema,  and  Mesomphix,  all  of  which  are  happy  expres 
sions  of  conchologic  facts. 

Considered  as  a  whole  the  conchologic  work  of  Raf- 
inesque  was  remarkably  well  done.  The  forms  on 
which  he  based  his  nomenclature  were  not  myths,  but 
were  actually  under  observation.  If  some  of  them  must 
be  abandoned,  it  is  in  keeping  with  the  rules  of  priority 
most  rigidly  applied;  some  are  names  given  to  groups 
that  had  already  been  characterized,  but  the  fact  was 
unknown  to  their  author.  He,  first  among  many,  suc 
ceeded  in  regrouping,  in  some  rational  and  natural 
manner,  forms  of  most  divergent  character  that  before 
had  constituted  heterogeneous  assemblages;  he  was,  in 
this  matter,  far  ahead  of  his  contemporaries,  and  the 
fact  must  ever  remain  as  a  singular  proof  of  his  acumen. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  103 


RAFINESQUE'S  WORK  IN  BOTANY. 

One  of  the  most  striking  facts  in  connection  with 
the  botanical  work  of  Rafinesque  consists  in  his  con 
stant  onslaughts  upon  the  artificial  classificatory  systems 
of  his  day.  Especially  is  this  marked  in  his  reviews 
of  the  work  of  others.  In  these  papers  he  spares  not, 
and  herein  lies  one  chief  cause  of  the  disrepute  into 
which  he  early  fell  among  American  botanists.  He  was 
bold  to  a  fault;  he  was  quick  to  see  new  relations;  he 
was  not  always  careful  to  work  them  out  to  the  satis 
faction  of  others,  but  insisted  on  their  adoption  without 
the  formality  of  a  rigid  demonstration.  In  this  way  his 
propositions  came  to  be  regarded  as  dangerous  innova 
tions,  for  American  science  was  yet  under  the  domina 
tion  of  the  masters  in  Europe.  Closet  naturalists  abroad 
directed  the  investigators  of  this  country  what  groupings 
to  accept  and  what  relations  to  recognize. 

Of  the  genera  and  species  established  by  Rafinesque, 
and  that  are  recognized  in  Gray's  Manual  of  Botany, 
there  are  thirteen  genera,  eight  subgenera,  and  sixteen 
species.  With  advancing  years  others  will  be  added, 
and  the  full  sum  of  tardy  justice  eventually  will  be 
reached.  There  only  intervenes,  preventing  speedy  rec- 


104  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

ognition,  that  doubtful  rule  that  accepts  a  well-known 
and  long-recognized  name  in  lieu  of  one  less  well  known 
but  previously  described.  However  convenient  such  a 
rule  may  be  to  the  systematist  in  botany,  it  is  mani 
festly  one  which  is  capable  of  being  applied  with  great 

injustice. 

THE  FLORULA  LUDOVICIANA. 

This  work,  on  account  of  its  remarkable  nature,  and 
because  it  has  justly  subjected  its  author  to  severest 
censure,  deserves  more  than  passing  notice.  Like  very 
many  others  of  the  works  of  Rafinesque,  this  one  has 
a  piece-meal  ensemble  that  is  quite  characteristic.  It  is 
"respectfully  inscribed  to  Dewitt  Clinton,  LL.  D.,  Gov 
ernor  of  the  State  of  New  York,  President  of  the 
Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  of  New  York,  and 
president  of  many  other  learned  and  benevolent  societies, 
etc.,  etc."  A  preamble  of  five  pages  states  the  sources 
of  information  for  the  matter  contained  and  the  reasons 
for  publishing  the  work.  The  justification  for  the  book, 
in  Rafinesque's  mind,  may  be  found  in  the  following 
statement  from  the  preamble: 

"...  In  perusing  this  Flora,  I  was  astonished  to  find,  among 
many  blunders  in  nomenclature  and  classification,  several  accurate 
descriptions  and  valuable  additions  to  the  knowledge  of  plants, 
their  geography,  utility  and  natural  history.  Having,  therefore, 
compared  with  attention  all  his  descriptions  with  the  Floras  of  North 


•n 

— 

C 


70 

> 
2 
z 

tn 

O 
C 
m 
c/5 


C 

r 


c 

D 
O 
< 

O 


bi 
tio 

hi 

W 
to  e 
tion 
R0b 
N 
teri 
whi 


gene 


Arbu 


Ch 


an 
roduc 
Aret 
4>c. 
Amer 
o  be 
auru 
i 


on 
a 


4 
ti 
tia,  «.ce 
which  h 
c  o 
e 


on 
,  F 
hic 
an 
reck 
,  Til 


«. 
ch 
F 


s 


pecies, 
f  30  n 
.cedan 
had 
ora. 
ed  1 
^Fr 


d 


s,  wheffc 
ne*  genera, 
numf  tea*** 
not  yet  been 
Among  th 
5  ^ew  trees 
,  &• 

18  sh 


a 
by 


xin 
and 


eresting 
likewis 
^d  m  M 
botknic 

y  a-Lati 
tttti 

plan 
operl 

ation 
ons  on 

th  the, 
to  ob 
es,  ment 
to  be  new 
given  the 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  105 

America  of  Michaux  and  Pursh,  I  became  convinced  that  a  great 
number  of  new  genera  and  species,  unknown  to  those  authors, 
were  described  by  Robin.''* 

That  any  marked  scientific  value  could  attach,  to  a 
volume  prepared  as  Rafinesque  arranged  this  one  is  im 
possible.  That  part  of  the  "Florula  Ludoviciana"  which 
is  thus  based  upon  Robin's  work  comprises  pages  12 
to  128.  To  this  part  of  the  book  there  are  three  indices; 
the  first,  an  " Index  of  Louisianian  vulgar  names",  all 
of  which  are,  naturally,  French ;  second,  an  "  Index  of 
New  Genera  and  Sub-Genera";  and  lastly,  an  " Index 
of  Old  Genera".  Pages  129-155  are  devoted  to  a  "Sup 
plement"  and  "Additions"  based  upon  the  works  of 
Pursh,  Bartram,  Michaux,  and  others;  this  is  designed 
to  include  all  the  plants  unknown  to  Robin,  which  were 
mentioned  by  these  authors.  Not  the  least  remarkable 
feature  of  the  book  is  that  portion  which  fills  pages 
157-165,  and  is  occupied  with  "An  Appendix  to  the 
Trees  and  Shrubs  of  Louisiana"  based  upon  an  entirely 
different  publication  than  Robin's.  This  work  was  by 
William  Darby,f  and  has,  in  a  chapter  on  statistics, 

*The  title  of  Robin's  book  is  as  follows:  Voyages  dans  1'interieur  de  la 
Louisiane,  de  la  Floride  Occidentale,  et  dans  les  isles  de  la  Martinique  et  de 
Saint-Dominque,  pendant  les  Annees  1802,  1803,  1804,  1805  et  1806.  Paris.  1807. 
(3  Vols.,  8vo.)  The  botanical  portion  is  the  "  Flore  Louisianaise",  Vol.  Ill, 

PP-  313-551. 

t  A  |  Geographical  Description  |  of  the  |  State  of  I/ouisiana,  |  the  Southern 
part  of  the  |  State  of  Mississippi  |  and  |  Territory  of  Alabama:  |  presenting  |  A 


io6  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

many  references  to  the  indigenous  forest  trees  of  various 
parts  of  the  State.  On  pages  300,  301,  and  353-356  are 
two  formal  lists,  with  both  Bnglish  and  Latin  names,  of 
trees  that  form  the  basis  of  the  supplement  of  Rafinesque 
in  his  Florula.  The  last  few  pages  of  Rafinesque's  book 
are  concerned  with  advertisements  of  his  books  and 
papers  already  published,  and  to  be  published,  as  well 
as  mention  of  some  still  in  hand.  Taken  altogether 
the  volume  is  a  most  curious  botanical  olla  podrida. 

The  descriptions  of  Robin,  as  he  himself  states, 
were  all  based  upon  the  living  plants;  he  made  no  col 
lections;  nor  were  his  notes  submitted  to  any  competent 
botanist.  That  he  actually  saw  the  plants  he  indicates, 
and  to  which  he  gave  the  French  provincial  names,  is 
without  question  the  fact,  but  he  nowhere  describes  these 
plants  technically.  Nor  is  it  at  all  likely  that  he  pos 
sessed  the  ability  to  do  so.  The  Latin  diagnoses  of 
Rafinesque,  therefore,  must  be  regarded  as  pure  fabri- 

view  of  the  soil,  climate,  animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral  |  productions:  illus 
trative  of  their  natural  physiognomy,  |  their  geographical  configuration,  and 
relative  situations;  |  with  an  account  of  the  character  and  manners  of  the  j 
inhabitants.  |  Together  with  |  A  Map,  |  from  actual  Survey  and  Observation, 
projected  on  a  scale  of  |  ten  miles  to  an  inch,  of  |  The  State  of  Louisiana,  |  and 

adjacent  countries.  |  Second  Edition,  enlarged  and  improved.  |  |  By 

William   Darby.  |  |  [Extract  of  five  lines,  in   French,  from   the  Memoire 

de  M.  De   Vergennes  sur  la  Louisiane.}  \  |  New  York.  |   Published  by 

James  Olmstead,  |  Sold  also  by  B.  Levy  &  Co.  Booksellers,  New  Orleans.  | 
J.  Seymour,  printer.  |  |  1817.  [8vo.,  map,  pp.  I-XII  (i,  Map)  13-356.  (3).] 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  107 

cations  which  have  neither  scientific  value  nor  authority. 
His  book  takes  its  proper  place  as  a  literary  curiosity; 
it  will,  at  the  same  time,  remain  a  monument  to  the 
most  foolish  episode  in  his  botanical  career. 

OTHER  BOTANICAL  WORK. 

The  penchant  for  genus-making,  which  was  so  marked 
in  Rafinesque,  seems  to  have  had  full  swing  in  his 
botanical  nomenclature.  Not  only  did  he  emphasize 
minor  differences,  but  he  even  closely  scanned  the 
descriptions  of  others,  and,  without  seeing  the  plants 
themselves,  erected  on  these  formal  written  or  printed 
diagnoses  his  own  generic  names.  That  he  was  often 
wrong  could  be  said  with  truth;  but  that  he  was  often 
right  is  equally  true.  He  had  little  sympathy  with  the 
artificial  systems  that  prevailed  during  the  early  part 
of  the  century.  He  saw  relationships  that  others  were 
unwilling  to  grant  him.  In  his  reviews  of  the  published 
work  of  other  authors  he  employed  his  characteristic 
methods  to  an  alarming  extent;  some  of  the  genera 
which  observers  proposed  he  threw  out  of  his  system, 
on  the  ground  that  he  had  himself  originally  described 
them  under  other  names.  That  this  method  should 
bring  upon  him  the  severe  criticisms  of  those  whose 
work  he  treated  thus  is  by  no  means  surprising,  but  his 


io8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

rejoinders  were  not  always  of  a  courteous  nature.  On 
this  matter  Doctor  Gray,  reviewing  Rafinesque's  botani 
cal  writings,  in  1841,  wrote  as  follows: 

"  It  is  indeed  a  subject  of  regret,  that  the  courtesy  which  prevails 
among  the  botanists  of  the  present  day,  (who  are  careful  to  adopt 
the  names  proposed  by  those  who  even  suggest  a  new  genus,) 
was  not  more  usual  with  us  some  twenty  years  ago.  Many  of 
Rafinesque's  names  should  have  been  adopted;  some  as  matter  of 
courtesy,  and  others  in  accordance  with  strict  rule.  But  it  must 
be  remembered,  that  the  rule  of  priority  in  publication  was  not 
then  universally  recognized  among  botanists,  at  least  as  in  present 
practice,  (the  prevalence  of  which  is  chiefly  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
influence  of  De  Candolle;)  the  older  name  being  preferred  coeteris 
paribus,  but  not  otherwise.  It  is  also  true,  that  many  scattered 
papers  of  Rafinesque  were  overlooked  by  those  who  would  have 
been  fully  disposed  to  do  justice  to  his  labors,  had  they  been 
acquainted  with  them;  and  a  large  portion  of  the  genera  proposed 
in  his  reviews  of  Pursh,  Nuttall,  Bigelow,  &c.,  were  founded  on 
their  characters  of  plants  which  were  doubtfully  referred  to  the 
genera  in  which  they  were  placed,  or  were  stated  to  disagree  in 
some  particular  from  the  other  species."* 

There  is  opportunity  for  some  careful  botanical  stu 
dent  permanently  to  place  the  Rafinesquian  genera  into 
their  true  relation  to  the  work  of  others.  Whether  the 
results  will  be  largely  valuable  does  not  matter ;  it  has 
now  become  a  simple  question  of  priority  and  of  justice. 
The  work  of  a  man  who  has  been  grossly  neglected  will 

*  American  Journal  Science,  Vol.  XL,,  p.  234,  1841. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  IOQ 

need  to  be  carefully  revised;  many  of  his  dried  speci 
mens  and  illustrations  of  genera  still  are  to  be  found  in 
the  herbaria  of  Europe  and  America.  The  task  will  be 
less  difficult  in  this  than  in  any  other  branch  which 
Rafinesque  cultivated,  for  he  was  first  of  all  other  things 
a  botanist,  and  accomplished  in  that  subject  his  most 
valuable  work.  In  other  directions  little  or  nothing 
anywhere  remains  to  help  the  student  of  science  in 
forming  a  judgment.  The  best  collection  which  illus 
trated  his  work  in  the  Unionida,  that  of  Mr.  C.  A. 
Poulson,  of  Philadelphia,  has  been  scattered  long  since, 
and  there  exists  no  other  which  would  have  given  the 
aid  possible  in  that  one.  But  many  dried  plants  with 
original  Rafinesquian  names  still  exist,  and  these  should 
be  examined;  then  should  the  rules  of  priority  rigidly 
be  enforced. 

Rafinesque's  botanical  work  extended  over  the  whole 
period  of  his  literary  activity.  A  large  number  of 
short  papers  appeared  from  time  to  time,  in  every 
possible  medium  of  publication.  These  never  were 
collected  by  their  author,  and  there  exists  to-day  no 
complete  collation  in  any  library  in  the  world.  Some 
of  the  work  he  did  on  Kentucky  plants  was  not  pub 
lished  under  his  name,  though  the  most  of  that  work 
found  its  way  to  the  scientific  public  through  a  variety 


no  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

of  avenues.  The  single  exception,  which  is  impor 
tant,  is  the  first,  or  almost  the  first,  list  of  Kentucky 
plants,  published  by  Doctor  Henry  McMurtrie,  in  his 
" Sketches  of  Louisville",  in  1819.*  This  volume  con 
tains  an  appendix  called  "  The  Florula  Louisvillensis  sive 
Plantarum  Catalogus  vicinitate  urbis,  Henrico  M*>  Murtrie, 
M,  /?.,"  and  comprises  pages  207-230.  The  name  of 
Rafinesque  nowhere  is  mentioned  in  connection  with 
this  catalogue,  though  he  was  credited  with  lists  of  the 
shell-fish  and  the  fishes  given  on  pages  62-66.  But  a 
writer  in  the  Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Maga 
zine,  Volume  II,  page  90,  speaking  of  the  list  of  plants 
as  "a  pretended  view,  of  the  vegetables  of  that  section 
of  the  country",  states  that  McMurtrie  was  indebted  to 
Rafinesque  for  the  names  and  classification  of  his  plant 
list!  Certain  it  is  that  the  list  contains  some  of  the 
Rafinesquian  genera,  and  thus  shows  some  acquaintance 
with  Rafinesque's  work  on  Kentucky  plants,  very  little 
of  which  had  been  published  at  that  date. 

*  Sketches  |  of  |  Louisville  |  and  its  Environs;  |  including  among  a  great 
variety  of  Miscellaneous  Matter,  a  |  Florula  Louisvillensis;  |  or,  A  Catalogue 
of  |  nearly  400  genera  and  600  species  of  Plants,  that  grow  in  the  vicinity 
of  |  the  Town,  exhibiting  their  Generic,  Specific  and  |  Vulgar  English 

Names.  |  By  H.  McMurtrie,  M.  D.,  etc.  |     .    .    .    |  |  To  Which  is  Added  |  an 

appendix,  |  Containing  an  accurate  Account  of  the  Earthquakes  experienced 
here  from  |  the  i6th  December,  1811,  to  the  7th  February,  1812,  extracted 

prin-  |  cipally   from   the   Papers   of   the   late  J.   Brookes,    Esq.,  |   |   First 

Edition.  | |  Louisville,  |  Printed  by  S.  Penn,  prin.  Main-Street  |  1819. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


in 


Among  the  best  of  the  drawings  which  Rafinesque 
made  of  plants,  usually  in  outline  only,  were  those  of 
his  earliest  attempts  essayed  while  still  a  resident  of 
Sicily.  These  plates  were  all  lost  in  the  shipwreck, 
only  one  ever  appearing.  There  exists  in  the  library 
of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Science,  in  a  volume  of 
botanical  wood-cuts,*  a  collection  of  plates  by  Rafin 
esque.  On  the  margin  of  the  first  plate  is  written: 
"The  following  are  the  proofs  of  plates  lost  in  my  ship 
wreck  of  1815."  On  the  back  is  written:  " Collection 
of  29  plates  and  46  figures  of  New  Genera  and  Species 
of  plants  from  N.  America,  discovered  by  C.  S.  Rafin 
esque  in  1802—1804.  Published  in  1807,  1808,  and  1814. 
These  plates  never  published  —  only  proofs  of  plates 
lost  in  1815,  thus  they  are  a  unique  collection.  Depos 
ited  in  the  Lyceum  at  the  foundation  in  1817,  by  the 
author.  N.  B.  The  Phyllepidum  alone  was  published 
in  the  Bncycl.  Journal  of  Sicily,  1814."  Whether  these 
plates  and  figures  will  serve  to  distinguish  the  American 
plants  described  as  a  result  of  the  first  visit  to  the  United 
States  must  be  left  to  the  professional  botanists  to  de 
termine. 

Rafinesque's  drawings  of  plants  were  all,  so  far  as 
we  have  seen  them,  in  outline.  Perhaps  the  best 

*  Volume  C,  Shelf  D,  Case  No.  36. 


ii2  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

examples  are  to  be  seen  in  the  Medical  Flora,  the  one 
hundred  plates  of  which  are  all  in  outline,  but  are  very 
characteristic  and  accurate.  The  plants  are  easily  recog 
nizable  from  the  drawings,  but  are  deficient  in  matters 
of  detail.  None  of  the  drawings  made  by  him  to 
illustrate  zoological  subjects  at  all  approach  these  plates 
of  plants  in  accuracy  and  value.  In  short,  however, 
Rafinesque  could  not  be  said  to  have  made  even  clever 
drawings  of  the  plants  which  he  named  and  described. 
His  reputation  as  an  artist  rests  on  a  very  insecure 
foundation.* 

Summarizing  the  facts  in  the  botanical  writings  of 
Rafinesque,  it  would  appear  that  he,  among  the  first, 
clearly  saw  that  many  plants,  which  had  been  forced 
into  specific  and  generic  relationship,  were  really  either 
separate  forms  or  types  of  new  genera;  that  his  oppor 
tunities  for  wide  collection  rendered  it  clear  that  new 
groupings  must  be  made,  though  in  this  he  antagonized 
the  workers  of  his  time.  It  also  appears  that  foreign 
authors  and  collectors  frequently  found  plants  with  the 
generic  relationships  of  which  they  were  not  themselves 

*  Very  few  of  Rafinesque's  general  drawings  have  been  preserved.  An 
interesting  instance,  however,  may  be  seen  in  the  Medical  Repository,  Vol. 
XVIII,  in  a  letter  by  a  Mr.  Gratz,  one  of  the  former  owners  of  Mammoth 
Cave,  relating  to  a  mummy  said  to  have  been  found  in  the  Cave ;  the  draw 
ing  from  which  the  engraving  was  made  was  by  Rafinesque. 


Constantine  Satmiel  Rafinesque. 

entirely  satisfied;  in  their  various  systematic  arrange 
ments  these  aberrant  forms  were  noted,  of  course.  These 
plants  of  inserts  sedis  Rafinesque  assumed  to  group, 
and  he  established  for  them  new  generic  appellations. 
In  the  great  majority  of  instances  he  never  saw  the 
plants  themselves  when  he  thus  attempted  to  establish 
a  new  genus,  but  based  his  work  on  the  descriptions  of 
the  students  from  whom  he  borrowed.  It  also  appears, 
whether  from  ignorance  or  from  indifference  does  not 
here  matter,  that  he  gave  names  to  plants  already  well 
known,  thus  needlessly  complicating  the  literature  of 
botany.  These  are  his  chief  defects.  On  the  other  hand 
there  is  to  be  considered  an  insight  into  natural  group 
ings  which  was  far  ahead  of  that  of  others  of  his  time ;  a 
love  for  Nature  that  amounted  to  a  passion ;  a  generosity 
in  the  distribution  of  his  plants  and  his  papers  that  few 
have  emulated;  a  laudable  ambition  to  be  regarded  the 
first  naturalist  of  his  time.  These  are  all  commendable. 
It  is  sad  to  reflect  that  the  high  ideals,  which  he  had 
before  him  in  early  manhood,  were  fated  to  non-realiza 
tion.  His  botanical  work  demonstrates  that  he  was  the 
creature  of  an  unfortunate  environment,  the  victim  of 
an  unbalanced  training,  the  intellectual  scientific  problem 
of  his  day. 


e  Life  and  Writings  of 


ARCH/EOLOGIC  WORK. 

During  the  period  of  Lexington  residence  Rafinesque 
devoted  much  attention  to  the  mounds  and  other  evi 
dences  of  prehistoric  peoples  in  the  Ohio  Valley.  About 
Lexington,  in  Fayette  County,  are  several  examples  of 
mounds,  to  the  study  of  which  he  gave  much  time.  It 
is  not  known  that  the  modern  methods  of  careful 
exploitation  were  employed  by  him;  probably  he  simply 
surveyed  and  located  the  mounds  he  discovered.  His 
attention  had  been  directed  to  these  interesting  and  re 
markable  earthworks  during  a  journey  in  Ohio,  where 
for  the  first  time  he  saw  them.  From  that  time  on, 
wherever  he  went,  his  close  attention  was  directed  to 
these  objects.  In  the  appendix  to  his  work  on  the 
"Ancient  Monuments  of  Kentucky",  published  in  Mar 
shall's  History,  is  an  enumeration  of  the  sites  of  an 
cient  towns  and  prehistoric  monuments  and  similar 
works.  In  a  summary,  at  the  end  of  the  enumeration, 
Rafinesque  states  that  he  had  already,  in  North  America, 
ascertained  five  hundred  and  forty-one  sites  of  towns, 
of  which  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  were  in  Ken 
tucky.  In  the  same  summary  he  says  that  before  his 
time  only  twenty-five  sites  and  one  hundred  monuments 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 

were  known  in  Kentucky;  he  then  states  that  by  his 
labors  the  entire  list  for  North  America  had  been 
increased  to  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty,  of 
which  five  hundred  and  five  are  in  Kentucky.  Many 
of  these  most  certainly  were  not  artificial  constructions; 
some  were  the  residual  products  of  erosion ;  in  short, 
they  were  natural  features. 

Very  little  of  the  work  which  Rafinesque  professed 
to  have  accomplished  in  this  branch  of  inquiry  was  ever 
printed.  Such  memoirs  as  he  did  present,  and  which 
are  listed  in  the  bibliography  accompanying  this  sketch, 
possess  but  very  little  value.  Indeed,  the  whole  subject 
has  practically  been  developed  since  his  day.  Then,  too, 
the  various  earthworks  were  in  process  of  exact  location 
and  of  description  from  the  standpoint  of  the  curious; 
it  has  remained  for  a  later  coterie  of  students  to  ap 
proach  the  question  along  lines  which  are  purely  scien 
tific.  There  is  every  reason  also  for  believing  that  many 
of  the  mounds,  which  Rafinesque  listed  elsewhere  than 
in  Kentucky,  were  natural  elevations  rather  than  artificial 
works.  There  is  no  record  that  he  ever  opened  a  single 
one  of  them,  or  ever  dreamed  that  this  method  alone 
could  produce  such  valuable  results  as  are  now  known 
to  attach  to  it.  Such  of  these  mounds  as  can  une 
quivocally  be  classed  among  artificial  earthworks  are 


n6  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

probably  few;  of  the  whole  number  but  forty-one  are 
credited  to  Rafmesque  by  Professor  Cyrus  Thomas,*  and 
some  of  these  are  probably  listed  twice,  inasmuch  as 
the  boundary  lines  of  certain  counties  have  changed 
since  the  original  enumeration  by  Rafinesque,  and  this 
has  resulted  in  some  confusion  regarding  identity.  It 
is,  however,  exceedingly  creditable  to  his  acumen  and 
general  interest  in  whatever  had  a  scientific  facies,  that 
he,  at  that  early  day,  should  have  made  a  list  of  works  of 
this  sort  and  thought  them  worthy  of  permanent  record. 
Some  of  them  he  mapped  or  surveyed,  making  copious 
notes  at  the  time.  These  facts,  thus  gathered,  have  been 
utilized  by  subsequent  writers. 

In  Squier  and  Davis'  "Ancient  Monuments  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  "f  are  a  number  of  plates  of  mounds 
and  other  earthworks  derived  from  the  unpublished 
manuscripts  of  Rafinesque.  On  page  xxxvi  of  the 

*Vide  Catalogue  of  Prehistoric  Works  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
pp.  89-102.  Bureau  of  Ethnology,  Washington.  1891. 

tSmithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge,  Vol.  I,  1848.  The  following 
plates  in  this  work  are  based  upon  the  surveys  and  drawings  of  Rafinesque : 
Plate  IX,  No.  3,  Ancient  Work  near  Lexington,  Kentucky;  Plate  XII,  No.  i, 
Stone  Work  on  Duck  River,  Tennessee;  Plate  XIII,  No.  i,  Works  on  Flat  Run, 
Bourbon  County,  Kentucky ;  Plate  XIV,  No.  3,  Ancient  Work,  Fayette  County, 
Kentucky;  Plate  XXXVIII,  Ancient  Work  on  the  Etowah  River,  Alabama 
(Georgia?);  Plate  XXXII,  No.  6,  Ancient  Work,  Montgomery  County,  Ken 
tucky;  Plate  XXXIII,  No.  i,  Ancient  Work  near  Mount  Sterling,  Kentucky, 
on  Brush  Creek,  Montgomery  County. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  117 

preface  of  that  rare  and  valuable  volume  may  be  noted 
the  following  remark: 

"  It  will  be  observed  that  several  plans  and  notices  of  ancient 
works  are  presented  in  the  succeeding  chapters,  upon  the  authority 
of  the  late  Prof.  C.  S.  Rafinesque.  This  gentleman,  while  living, 
devoted  considerable  attention  to  the  antiquities  of  the  Mississippi 
valley,  and  published  several  brief  papers  relating  to  them.  His 
notes  and  plans,  for  the  most  part  brief,  crude,  and  imperfect,  at 
his  death  found  their  way  into  the  possession  of  Brantz  Mayer, 
Esqr.,  of  Baltimore,  late  Secretary  of  the  American  L/egation  to 
Mexico.  .  .  .  His  notes  are  principally  important,  as  indicating  the 
localities  of  many  interesting  monuments,  rather  than  as  conveying 
any  satisfactory  information  concerning  them." 

It  is  difficult  properly  to  characterize  this  critique 
of  the  work  of  Rafinesque  without  doing  an  uninten 
tional  injustice  to  the  memory  of  the  distinguished 
authors  of  the  "Ancient  Monuments,"  but  it  hardly 
appears  to  do  Rafinesque  full  justice.  It  does  not  rec 
ognize  the  fact  of  his  inexperience  in  studies  of  this 
character,  nor  does  it  consider  that  this  branch  of  inves 
tigation  was  very  far  from  being  reduced  to  a  scientific 
method  in  his  day.  It  fails  to  measure  his  work  by 
the  standards  of  his  time  and  the  status  of  his  subject, 
but  applies  modern  methods  of  criticism.  His  notes 
may  have  been  brief,  his  work  crude,  his  deductions 
not  always  sound,  his  information  not  always  complete; 
granted  all  these,  yet  time  has  shown  the  essential  accu- 


n8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

racy  of  his  facts,  time  has  developed  value  for  these 
observations,  if  they  only  have  served  to  indicate  to 
more  observing  minds  and  to  more  skillful  surveyors 
the  locations  of  new  and  important  prehistoric  works. 
With  the  location  of  certain  now  well-known  ancient 
monuments,  and  with  their  fair  delineation,  the  really 
valuable  portion  of  Rafinesque's  archseologic  work  may 
be  said  to  end.  The  extensive  memoirs  which  he  pro 
jected,  and  some  of  which  he  partially  executed  and 
published,  possess  very  little  archseologic  value  indeed. 
It  is  quite  clear  that  Rafinesque  was  not  well  equipped 
for  investigations  of  this  sort.  The  opportunity  to  let 
the  imagination  run  riot,  because  there  is  so  little  check 
of  real  fact  in  certain  lines  of  ethnologic  investigation, 
afforded  to  him  the  means  of  attempting  some  of  the 
wildest  vagaries.  His  ideas  were  not  checked  by  facts 
but  proceeded  along  lines  which  were  impossible  of  dem 
onstration.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  more  valueless 
and  unscientific  treatment  of  ethnologic  questions  than 
that  in  his  "Ancient  Annals  of  Kentucky",  in  Marshall's 
History,  or  those  found  in  his  "American  Nations  etc", 
if,  indeed,  one  except  the  works  of  John  Haywood  and 
Josiah  Priest!  One  of  the  shorter  papers  of  Rafinesque, 
published  in  the  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  the  "Biog 
raphy  of  the  American  Solomon",*  called  forth  a  severe 

*The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  No.  22,  May  29,  p.  170,  1824. 


Constanttne  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


119 


critique  from  David  G.  Burnett,  some  time  president  of 
the  Lone  Star  State,  who  also  furnished  the  Gazette 
a  series  of  articles  on  the  Indians  of  Texas.  Perhaps 
it  would  be  quite  sufficient  to  say,  in  brief,  that  the 
work  done  by  Rafinesque  in  this  field  possesses  so  few 
of  the  elements  of  permanency  and  of  value  that  it  can 
not  be  quoted  as  authoritative  nor  depended  upon  as 
exact  by  any  modern  author.  His  claim  to  scientific 
recognition  would  surely  fail  if  it  rested  on  his  arch- 
seologic  work. 

LITERARY  WORK  FROM  1825-  TO  1840. 

When  Rafinesque  left  Kentucky,  in  the  fall  of  1825, 
the  period  of  his  most  valuable  scientific  work  came  to  an 
end.  From  that  time  his  literary  efforts  partake  more 
and  more  of  the  character  of  vagaries.  His  life  now 
became  a  series  of  disappointments  and  constant  strug 
gles  with  poverty.  Every  man's  hand  appeared  to  him 
to  be  against  him;  a  certain  misanthropy,  which  had 
developed,  became  very  marked  and  dominated  all  his 
work.  If  he  failed  in  any  enterprise  his  "secret  foes" 
accomplished  it;  if  his  books  were  not  issued  to  him 
fresh  from  the  press  without  payment,  and  were  therefore 
held  back,  it  was  "the  secret  machinations  of  enemies" 


120  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

that  accomplished  it.  In  such  frame  of  mind  as  this 
Rafinesque  passed  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life,  and 
under  such  an  incubus  of  distrust  did  he  prepare  and 
print  his  later  works.  It  is  little  wonder,  therefore,  that 
they  are  now  sought  after,  not  for  any  scientific  value 
which  they  may  possess,  but  for  the  fact  that  they  are 
really  literary  curiosities.  One  alone  of  all  his  works, 
published  during  those  fifteen  years,  has  in  it  the  ele 
ments  of  perpetuity,  and  that  is  the  "Medical  Flora". 
This  work  of  two  volumes  possesses  real  value,  and 
stands  as  his  best  monument  for  all  this  period.  His 
literary  work  was  never  entirely  abandoned,  though  it 
was  seriously  interfered  with  by  business  ventures  of  one 
or  another  sort;  with  these  were  entangled  several  patent 
schemes  relating  to  steam-plows,  incombustible  dwellings, 
sub-marine  steamboats,  and  the  like,  which,  of  late  years, 
have  been  realized  by  other  and  competent  inventors. 

What  the  real  nature  of  the  literary  work  of  this 
period  was,  a  glance  at  the  appended  bibliography  will 
disclose.  It  covered  the  usual  wide  scope  of  subjects, 
and  was  characterized  by  the  usual  looseness  of  style 
and  piece-meal  ensemble.  Perhaps  the  best  illustration 
of  the  valueless  work  of  this  latest  period  is  "The 
Genius  and  Spirit  of  the  Hebrew  Bible" ,  a  book  without 
a  single  redeeming  literary  feature. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  121 

The  botanical  work  of  Rafinesque,  during  this  last 
period,  was  mainly  in  the  establishment  of  various  new 
genera  of  plants,  a  large  number  of  which  were  pro 
posed.  He  had  planned  a  thousand  new  ones,  as  he 
announces  in  his  Flora  Telluriana,  but  most  of  them 
were  based  upon  the  work  of  others,  and  not  on  the 
plants  themselves.  Many  short  papers,  proposing  new 
species  of  plants,  or  erecting  new  genera,  appeared  from 
time  to  time,  but  always  in  cheap  and  ephemeral  form. 
His  articles  were  usually  short,  and  poorly  written;  he 
had  lost  the  facile  pen  of  his  earlier  life.  He  yet  trav 
eled  everywhere,  and  yet  collected  largely  of  every  thing 
that  grew.  He  yet  kept  note-books,  yet  planned  stu 
pendous  literary  undertakings.  Nothing  appeared  long 
to  receive  his  undivided  attention.  He  abandoned  a 
subject  after  brief  treatment,  only  to  take  it  up  again 
and  complete  his  observations  thereon  at  another  time. 
Attempting  every  phase  of  human  thought,  writing  on 
almost  every  subject  known  to  men,  planning  but  never 
executing,  undertaking  only  to  abandon,  distrustful  al 
ways,  ever  indefatigable,  living  only  to  publish,  withhold 
ing  money  from  necessities  that  he  might  present  to  the 
world  of  scholars  some  new  book  or  pamphlet,  what 
wonder  that  the  literary  efforts  of  this  period  are  esti 
mated  to  be  of  so  little  value! 

16 


122  The  Life  and  Writings  of 


RAFINESQUE'S  LITERARY  STYLE. 

The  reader  of  Rafinesque  will  find  few  attempts  at 
rhetorical  effect.  His  style  is  singularly  loose  and  unsci 
entific.  His  thought  is  not  always  sequential;  his  facts 
are  not  always  clearly  presented.  There  are  frequent 
lapses  from  grammatical  laws,  seen  particularly  in  the 
relation  of  singular  verbs  and  plural  subjects,  or  the 
contrary.  When  he  essayed  formal  description  in  natu 
ral  history  Latin,  the  ablative  absolute  and  the  nomi 
native  independent  are  hopelessly  confused.  And  yet, 
notwithstanding  these  defects  in  style,  there  is  a  certain 
directness  and  vigor  which  are  refreshing.  Especially 
is  this  true  of  those  parts  of  his  writings  which  may  be 
regarded  as  controversial.  His  printed  works  abound  in 
contractions,  but  most  often  of  the  two  words  genus  and 
species;  he  commonly  wrote  "G."  for  the  one,  and  "Sp." 
for  the  other.  Rarely  did  he  spell  his  numerals,  but 
usually  employed  the  Arabic  symbols.  These  facts  give 
to  his  pages  a  peculiar  appearance,  and  may  be  regarded 
as  distinctive. 

To  enable  the  reader  to  form  some  fair  opinion  of  Raf- 
inesque's  best  literary  style  the  following  extracts,  from 
the  "New  Flora  of  North  America,"  Part  I,  Introduction, 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  123 

are  given  at  some  length.  Doctor  Asa  Gray,  who  also 
quotes  them,  does  so  with  the  remark  that  in  them 
Rafinesque  "draws  a  lively  picture  of  the  discomforts, 
as  well  as  the  enjoyments  of  a  travelling  naturalist". 
They  certainly  are  both  vivid  and  true  to  nature: 

"  During  so  many  years  of  active  and  arduous  explorations,  I 
have  met  of  course  all  kinds  of  adventures,  fares  and  treatment. 
I  have  been  welcomed  under  the  hospitable  roof  of  friends  of  knowl 
edge  and  enterprise,  else  laughed  at  as  a  mad  botanist  by  scornful 
ignorance. —  Such  a  life  of  travels  and  exertions  has  its  pleasures 
and  its  pains,  its  sudden  delights  and  deep  joys  mixed  with  dangers, 
trials,  difficulties  and  troubles.  No  one  could  better  paint  them 
than  myself,  who  has  experienced  them  all.  L,et  the  practical 
botanist,  who  wishes  like  myself  to  be  a  pioneer  of  science,  and  to 
increase  the  knowledge  of  plants,  be  fully  prepared  to  meet  dangers 
of  all  sorts  in  the  wild  groves  and  mountains  of  America.  The 
mere  fatigue  of  a  pedestrian  journey  is  nothing  compared  to  the 
gloom  of  solitary  forests,  when  not  a  human  being  is  met  for  many 
miles,  and  if  met  he  may  be  mistrusted;  when  the  food  and  collec 
tions  must  be  carried  in  your  pocket  or  knapsack  from  day  to  day ; 
when  the  fare  is  not  only  scanty  but  sometimes  worse ;  when  you 
must  live  on  corn  bread  and  salt  pork,  be  burned  and  steamed  by 
a  hot  sun  at  noon,  or  drenched  by  rain,  even  with  an  umbrella  in 
hand,  as  I  always  had.  Musquitoes  and  flies  will  often  annoy  you 
or  suck  your  blood  if  you  stop  or  leave  a  hurried  step.  Gnats  dance 
before  the  eyes,  and  often  fall  in  unless  you  shut  them ;  insects 
creep  on  you  and  into  your  ears.  Ants  crawl  on  you  whenever 
you  rest  on  the  ground,  wasps  will  assail  you  like  furies  if  you 
touch  their  nests.  But  ticks,  the  worst  of  all,  are  unavoidable 
whenever  you  go  among  bushes,  and  stick  to  you  in  crowds,  filling 


124  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

your  skin  with  pimples  and  sores.  Spiders,  gallineps,  horse-flies, 
and  other  obnoxious  insects,  will  often  beset  you,  or  sorely  hurt 
you.  Hateful  snakes  are  met,  and  if  poisonous  are  very  dangerous ; 
some  do  not  warn  you  off  like  the  Rattle-snakes.  You  meet  rough 
or  muddy  roads  to  vex  you,  and  blind  paths  to  perplex  you,  rocks, 
mountains,  and  steep  ascents.  You  may  often  lose  your  way,  and 
must  always  have  a  compass  with  you  as  I  had.  You  may  be 
lamed  in  climbing  rocks  for  plants,  or  break  your  limbs  by  a  fall. 
You  must  cross  and  wade  through  brooks,  creeks,  rivers  and  swamps. 
In  deep  fords  or  in  swift  streams  you  may  lose  your  footing  and 
be  drowned.  You  may  be  overtaken  by  a  storm ;  the  trees  fall 
around  you,  the  thunder  roars  and  strikes  before  you.  The  winds 
may  annoy  you;  the  fire  of  heaven  or  of  men  sets  fire  to  the  grass 
or  the  forest,  and  you  may  be  surrounded  by  it  unless  you  fly  for 
your  life."* 

But  the  true  botanist  and  the  student  and  lover  of 
Nature  has  the  ascendancy  in  the  end ;  that  Rafinesque 
felt  this,  and  that  he  had  often  realized  it  is  very  clear 
from  his  description  of  the  counterpart  of  the  toils  and 
dangers  just  enumerated.  Says  he  :f 

"The  pleasures  of  a  botanical  exploration  fully  compensate 
for  these  miseries  and  dangers;  else  no  one  would  be  a  travelling 
botanist,  nor  spend  his  time  and  money  in  vain.  Many  fair  days 
and  fair  roads  are  met  with,  a  clear  sky  or  a  bracing  breeze  inspires 
delight  and  ease,  you  breathe  the  pure  air  of  the  country,  every 
rill  and  brook  offers  a  draught  of  limpid  fluid.  What  delight  to 
meet  with  a  spring,  after  a  thirsty  walk,  or  a  bowl  of  cool  milk  out 

*New  Flora  of  North  America,  Part  I,  Introduction,  p.  n,  et  seq. 
t  Ibidem,  p.  14,  et  seq.     Quoted  from  Gray  in  American  Journal  of  Science, 
Vol.  XL,  1841,  pp.  223,  224. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


of  the  dairy  !  What  sound  sleep  at  night  after  a  long  day's  walk  ; 
what  soothing  naps  at  noon  under  a  shaded  tree  near  a  purling 
brook.  Every  step  taken  into  the  fields,  groves  and  hills,  appears 
to  afford  new  enjoyments.  Landscapes  and  plants  jointly  meet  in 
your  sight.  Here  is  an  old  acquaintance  seen  again  ;  there  a  novelty, 
a  rare  plant,  perhaps  a  new  one,  greets  your  view  ;  you  hasten  to 
pluck  it,  examine  it,  admire,  and  put  it  in  your  book.  Then  you  walk 
on  thinking  what  it  might  be,  or  may  be  made  by  you  hereafter. 
You  feel  an  exultation,  you  are  a  conquerer,  you  have  made  a  con 
quest  over  Nature,  you  are  going  to  add  a  new  object  or  a  page  to 
science.  —  To  these  botanical  pleasures  may  be  added  the  anticipa 
tion  of  the  future  names,  places,  uses,  history,  &c.  of  the  plants 
you  discover.  For  the  winter,  or  season  of  rest,  are  reserved  the 
sedentary  pleasures  of  comparing,  studying,  naming,  describing, 
and  publishing." 

There  are  occasional  idioms  in  his  composition,  and 
these  are  constant  reminders  of  foreign  parentage  and 
education,  yet  occurring  often  enough  to  cause  us  to  be 
patient  with  the  grammatical  faults  of  Rafinesque.  On 
the  whole  his  English  is  very  good;  but  the  brevity  of 
his  descriptive  work  renders  strict  compliance  with  es 
tablished  usage  quite  impossible.  The  chief  fault  in  his 
scientific  writings  consists  in  extreme  brevity  of  descrip 
tion;  evidently  his  original  descriptions  were  hastily 
drawn,  many  or  most  of  them  in  the  field,  and  these 
formed  the  bases  of  his  future  published  work.  In  this 
way  may  be  explained  very  many  crudities  ;  they  are 
verbatim  renditions  of  original  field  notes. 


126  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  writings  of  Rafinesque  should  be  regarded  from 
the  literary  standpoint  of  his  time,  in  the  field  which 
he  cultivated.  Natural  history  was  not  then  the  impor 
tant  branch  of  culture  it  is  now;  it  was  not  cultivated 
by  men  of  classical  training,  or  but  rarely  so ;  the  men 
who  worked  at  natural  history  problems  did  not  always 
possess  the  advantage  of  the  drill  and  refinement  then 
supposed  to  pertain  solely  to  the  languages.  If  these 
facts  be  remembered  the  judgments  formed  concerning 
the  style  of  Rafinesque  will  be  generously  modified; 
final  opinions  will  on  the  whole  prove  to  be  quite  compli 
mentary. 

RAFINESQUE  AND  EVOLUTION. 

The  wide  acquaintance  of  Rafinesque  with  the  physi 
cal  conditions  under  which  plants  grow,  and  with  the 
evident  relationships  which  exist  between  physical  factors 
and  the  forms  of  plant  life,  seems  to  have  resulted  in 
some  views  concerning  species,  varieties,  and  so  on, 
that  entitle  him  to  distinction  as  an  evolutionist.  It 
is  not  meant  by  this  that  he  had  a  carefully  formulated 
system  of  evolutionary  development  in  mind;  it  is  in 
tended  to  be  understood  as  implying  that  he  did,  how 
ever,  clearly  see  one  of  the  important  factors  in  that 
far-reaching  philosophic  doctrine.  From  an  early  period 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesqm. 

in  his  study  of  natural  forms  he  had  conceived  certain 
opinions  regarding  the  natural  relationships  of  so-called 
species  and  varieties ;  these  he  first  expressed,  though 
in  very  crude  form,  in  1814,  in  his  work  on  Somiology. 
Toward  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  appears  to  have 
arrived  more  definitely  at  that  form  of  evolution  which 
may  be  said  to  find  its  best  illustration  in  Lamarck. 
He  had  not,  apparently,  thought  out  any  connected 
philosophic  system  of  development;  he  had  caught  only 
a  glimpse  of  the  great  truth.  Nor  do  his  expressions 
of  his  views  bear  evidence  of  having  investigated,  closely 
and  continuously,  the  problems  only  the  outlines  of 
which  he  saw  before  him.  Perhaps,  allowing  him  to 
speak  for  himself,  it  is  better  that  one  suppose  him  a 
Lamarckian  rather  than  a  Darwinian.  Darwin's  great 
work  was  in  progress,  and  had  been  for  many  years, 
though  unknown  to  Rafinesque  when  he  wrote,*  in  1833, 
as  follows: 

"  I  shall  soon  come  out  with  my  avowed  principles  about  G. 
and  Sp.  partly  announced  in  1814  in  my  principles  of  Somiology, 
and  which  my  experience  .and  researches  have  ever  since  confirmed. 
The  truth  is  that  Species  and  perhaps  Genera  also,  are  forming 
in  organized  beings  by  gradual  deviations  of  shapes,  forms  and 
organs,  taking  place  in  the  lapse  of  time.  There  is  a  tendency  to 
deviations  and  mutations  through  plants  and  animals  by  gradual 

*Vide  Herbarium  Rafinesquianum,  p.  n  aud  p.  15.     1833. 


128  The  Life  and  Huntings  of 

steps    at   remote    irregular    periods.     This  is   a  part    of   the   great 
universal  law  of  perpetual  mutability  in  everything. 

"Thus  it  is  needless  to  dispute  and  differ  about  new  G.,  Sp. 
and  varieties.  Every  variety  is  a  deviation  which  becomes  a  sp. 
as  soon  as  it  is  permanent  by  reproduction.  Deviations  in  essential 
organs  may  thus  gradually  become  N.  G.  Yet  every  deviation  in 
form  ought  to  have  a  peculiar  name;  it  is  better  to  have  only  a 
generic  and  specific  name  for  it,  than  4  when  deemed  a  variety." 

These  opinions  appear  to  us  to  warrant  the  assertion 
that  Rafinesque  was  an  evolutionist.  This  is  a  remark 
able  fact  for  his  time,  when  nearly  the  whole  world  of 
science  yet  maintained  the  fixity  of  species  and  the 
immutability  of  genera;  a  time  when  those  purely  arti 
ficial  yet  convenient  divisions  of  the  student  of  living 
forms,  unknown  to  Nature  itself,  called  genera,  were 
thought  to  be  the  result  of  express  creative  fiat.  While 
Rafinesque's  belief  appears  to  result  from  actual  obser 
vation  of  botanical  facts,  he  had  nowhere  elaborated  his 
views,  nowhere  presented  them  as  a  complete  system, 
nowhere  given  evidence  that  he  was  capable  so  to  do. 
It  rather  would  seem  to  be  a  kind  of  happy  inspiration, 
such  as  sometimes  come  to  men,  that  guided  him  in  his 
groping  search.  It  may  be  that  this  thought  was  upper 
most  in  his  mind  when  he  described  so  many  new  forms 
on  slight  data;  if  they  were  not  yet  species  they  surely 
would  be  such  in  time! 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  129 


MEDALS,  DIPLOMAS,  AND  OTHER  HONORS. 

The  scientific  work  of  Rafinesque  earned  for  him 
recognition  from  many  learned  societies.  Among  them 
were  the  Academies  of  Science  of  Zurich,  Vienna,  and 
Bruxelles;  the  Reale  Accademia  delle  Scienze,  e  Belle 
Lettere,  Naples;  Societe  de  Geographic,  Paris;  the  Ly 
ceum  of  Natural  History,  New  York;  the  Literary  and 
Philosophical  Society,  New  York ;  the  Medical  Society  of 
Lexington,  Kentucky ;  the  Medical  Society  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio;  and  other  lesser  organizations.  The  earliest  one 
of  these  to  confer  membership,  or  a  diploma,  on  him 
was  the  Natura  Curiosorum,  of  Bonn.  Rafmesque  says 
that  this  society  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
Catesby,  i.  e.,  named  him  to  fill  the  position  styled  for, 
or  in  honor  of,  that  celebrated  traveler.*  The  Societe 
de  Geographic  gave  him  its  gold  medal,  in  1832,  for 
two  memoirs  on  "The  Primitive  Negroes  of  Asia  and 
North  America",  but  these  essays  were  never  published. f 

*This  was  Mark  Catesby,  English  naturalist,  born  about  1680,  died  in 
1749.  He  was  the  author  of  an  early  work  on  the  zoology  of  America, 
published  under  the  title,  "  The  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  Florida  and 
the  Bahama  Islands,  &c."  London,  1731-1743. 

tThe  present  whereabouts  of  this  medal  is  unknown.  In  1876  it  was  in 
possession  of  Doctor  William  Kent  Gilbert,  of  Philadelphia.  An  illustration 
of  it  may  be  seen  on  page  99  of  Potters  American  Monthly,  Vol.  VI,  No.  50, 

17 


130  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

^  Transylvania  University  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts,  July  10,  1822.*     He  had  been  elected  to 

>  membership    in    the    Philadelphia    Academy   of   Sciences 
in  February,   1816.     His  membership   in   the   New  York 

>  Lyceum    of    Natural    History   dated    from    the    time    of 
organization,  he  having  been  one  of  its  founders. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  formerly,  more  than 
now,  it  was  customary  to  bestow  honors  of  this  sort 
on  learned  men  without  the  very  close  scrutiny  which 
now  obtains,  it  must  be  clear  that  the  early  scientific 
work  and  acquaintance  of  Rafinesque  had  gained  for 
him  substantial  reputation.  These  societies  all  would 
not  have  given  him  an  election  or  other  distinction 
without  at  least  some  examination  into  his  claims. 
That  they  gave  the  honors  is  some  evidence  of  deserv 
ing  merit. 

iSjC.  It  has  been  erroneously  stated  that  this  medal  was  sold  for  old  gold 
to  the  United  States  Mint,  at  Philadelphia.  This  inaccurate  statement  may 
be  based  upon  the  fact  that  at  the  auction  sale,  or  private  sale,  of  Rafinesque's 
effects  the  medal  was  "valued  at  the  United  States  Mint",  but  was  not  sold 
to  it.  From  the  will  of  Rafinesque  it  will  be  seen  that  he  highly  prized  it, 
and  had  hoped  it  would  remain  in  possession  of  the  family  Rafinesque. 

*This  fact  is  gleaned  from  the  Kentucky  Reporter,  of  July  15,  1822.  This 
was  a  newspaper  published  at  Lexington,  files  of  which  were  examined 
through  the  courtesy  of  Colonel  Reuben  T.  Durrett,  of  Louisville.  It  may 
be  interesting  to  know  that  several  other  persons  received  this  degree  at 
the  same  time,  to  wit:  Robert  Jefferson  Breckiuridge,  a  graduate  of  Union 
College;  William  Gibbs  Hunt,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  University;  John 
Thomas  Mason,  a  graduate  of  William  and  Mary  College;  Robert  R.  Barr, 
James  G.  Trotten,  and  John  M.  McCalla,  alumni  of  Transylvania  University. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


RAFINESQUE'S  NAME  IN  NOMENCLATURE. 

It  is  often  customary  for  scientific  investigators  to 
compliment  other  students  by  affixing  their  names  as 
specific  ones  in  the  description  of  plants  or  animals 
belonging  to  the  groups  which  they  have  especially 
cultivated.  More  rarely  now  than  formerly  is  this  done. 
While  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  collate  all  the  forms 
named  after  Rafinesque,  but  very  few  have  been  found 
which  have  been  so  characterized.  Knglemann  named 
a  cactus  for  him  —  the  Opuntia  rafinesquii.  A  single 
genus  of  fossils  has  likewise  received  his  name — the 
Rafinesquiana  of  Hall,  for  a  group  of  Brachiopoda  found 
in  the  Upper  Silurian.  A  single  Devonian  coral  has 
been  named  after  him,  the  Zaphrentis  rafinesquii  Davis. 
Among  fishes  there  was  the  name  Scaphirhynchus  rafin 
esquii  Heckel;  though  described  in  1835  this  form  is 
now  known  by  the  name  of  Scaphirhynchus  platirhynchus 
Baird,  described  in  1850.  For  what  sufficient  reason  the 
name  was  changed  we  have  been  unable  to  discover. 
In  conchology  Rafinesque's  name  has  yet  to  appear  in 
specific  application.  Not  more  than  two  or  three  other 
instances  of  its  use  would  probably  occur  on  careful 
search. 


132  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

It  is  certainly  not  due  to  any  fault  of  Rafinesque 
that  lie  obtained  but  little  recognition  in  the  adoption 
of  his  personal  name  in  botanical  literature.  At  least 
twice  he  himself  sought  to  establish  the  genus  Rafin- 
esquia ;  the  first  instance  occurring  when  he  appropri 
ated  the  Lotus  pinnatus  as  the  type  of  a  new  genus  — 
Rafinesquia,  but  the  plant  was  later  found  to  be  a 
true  Hosackia.  The  next  plant  selected  was  Gardoquia 
hookeri,  which  he  also  named  Rafinesquia.  The  first  in 
stance  was  based  on  Lotus  Pinnatus  of  Hooker,  Botanical 
Magazine,  t.  2913.  This  he  called  Rafinesquia  (or  Flun- 
dula)  comosa.  The  description  thereof  may  be  seen  in 
the  Flora  telluriana,  2,  96;  it  is  now  known  as  Hosackia 
bicolor.  The  second  case  was  based  upon  the  beautiful 
genus  of  labiate  plants  so  well  developed  in  the  mountain 
region  of  Chili  and  Peru.  This  plant  was  selected  after 
the  first  one  employed  had  been  shown  to  be  well  known ; 
along  with  its  description  occurs  an  amusing  defense 
of  his  attempt  to  fix  his  own  name  in  nomenclature.* 

The  Rafinesquia  recognized  by  the  present  generation 
of  botanists  is  a  genus  of  Composites,  and  includes  but 
two  known  species,  the  Rafinesquia  californica  and  Rafin 
esquia  neo-mexicana ;  this  genus,  of  small  geographic  dis 
tribution,  occurs  only  in  the  southwestern  United  States. 

*Vide  Flora  Telluriana,  Pt.  Ill,  p.  6,  1836. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


Bibliography. 


r  I  ^HE  simplest  arrangement,  that  of  chronologic  se- 
*  quence,  has  been  adopted  in  this  register  of  titles 
by  Rafinesque.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  apply 
rigid  bibliographic  rules;  but  the  ends  of  lines  in 
book-titles  are  indicated  by  light,  vertical  lines;  maga 
zines  and  journals  are  indicated  by  italicized  titles ; 
volume  and  page  references  and  title  verbiage  have  been 
compared,  in  large  part,  in  galley-proof,  with  the  orig 
inal  sources. 

In  all  cases  the  mistakes  and  misprints  of  the  orig 
inals,  together  with  all  lapses  from  grammatical  correct 
ness,  have  been  retained.  Also,  many  matters  ordinarily 
deemed  of  small  or  of  no  importance,  such  as  quotations 
and  verses  on  title-pages,  have  been  reproduced.  The 
object  has  been  to  present  such  a  faithful  transcript  of 
the  title-pages  that  the  reader  might  catch  and  study 
all  peculiarities  in  style  or  in  expression,  and  from 
the  physiognomy  of  various  title-pages  be  enabled  to 
reach  conclusions  that  would  be,  in  a  measure,  original. 
Throughout  are  occasional  notes  calling  attention  to 


136  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

certain  facts  or  factors  that  have  been  deemed  of  use 
to  accomplish  the  same  result.  It  is  hoped  that  this  list, 
which  has  been  somewhat  carefully  prepared,  will  prove 
useful  to  men  of  science  who  are  interested  in  the  his 
torical  phase  of  their  special  subjects. 

Those  who  are  somewhat  familiar  with  the  writings 
of  Rafinesque  will  not  find,  in  this  bibliography,  certain 
titles  which  are  quoted  by  him  in  one  or  another  of  his 
papers,  and  which  they  must  have  noticed.  It  appears 
to  have  been  a  custom  with  him  to  prepare  formal  papers 
and  forward  them  to  journals,  magazines,  and  societies; 
this  constituted  "publication"  in  his  conception,  and 
some  of  these  memoirs  and  essays  are  quoted  by  him 
as  having  appeared.  It  is  often  quite  difficult  indeed 
to  separate  these  titles  from  those  which  really  were 
printed;  but  where  specific  journals  are  mentioned  by 
him  it  is  quite  easy  to  make  the  discrimination.  A  case 
in  point  is  a  paper  on  "The  Chinese  Nations",  said  by 
Rafinesque  to  have  been  published  in  the  Knickerbocker 
Magazine  for  1834.  The  article  never  appeared.  Simi 
lar  instances  might  be  multiplied;  it  is  only  necessary 
that  extreme  care  be  employed  lest  these  fictitious  works 
and  titles  shall  mislead  others  who  may  desire  a  more 
intimate  personal  acquaintance  with  the  late  epoch  of 
Rafinesque's  literary  career,  the  period  of  vagaries. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  137 

1.  Notice  sur  deux  nouvelles  especes  des  genres  picoides  et  turnix 

de  1'ile  |  de  Java,  d£crites  a  Philadelphie,  dans  le  cabinet  de 
M.  Peales  |  par  le  C.  Rafinesque.  (Bulletin  des  Sciences,  \  par  la 
Societ^  Philomatique,  \  Paris,  Vendemiaire,  an  n  de  la  Repub- 
lique.  No.  67,  p.  146.)  [1803.] 

This  constitutes  the  earliest  title  by  Rafinesque  con 
cerning  which  I  am  able  to  give  any  definite  information. 
The  Bulletin  was  published  in  Paris,  from  1791  to  1805. 

2.  Notice  sur  une  hirondelle  et  un  figuier  de  1'ile  de  Java,  decrits  a 

Philadelphie,  dans  le  museum  de  M.  Peales,  par  le  C.  Rafinesque. 
(Bulletin  des  Sciences,  \  par  la  Societe  Philomatique.  \  Paris, 
Brumaire,  an  n  de  la  Republique.  No.  68,  p.  153.)  [1803.] 

3.  Canvass-Back   Duck  and  its  Food.     Extract  of  a  Letter  from 

Mr.  C.  S.  Rafinesque  to  Dr.  Mitchill,  dated  Philadelphia, 
Sept.  7,  1804.  (In  Medical  Repository,  2d  Hexade,  Vol.  II 
(No.  2),  p.  208.  New  York,  1804.) 

4.  Additions  to  Michaux's  Flora  of  North-America.      In  a  Letter 

from  Mr.  Rafinesque,  to  Dr.  Mitchill,  dated  Palermo,  in  Sicily, 
8th  August,  1805.  (In  Medical  Repository,  2d  Hexade,  Vol. 
Ill,  pp.  422,  423.  New  York,  1806.) 

5.  Sicilian   Quarantines.     (Extract   from   a  letter  to   Dr.   Mitchill, 

dated  Palermo,  February  25,  1806.  In  Medical  Repository,  2d 
Hexade,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  442.  New  York,  1806.) 

6.  Manifesto  della  Pamphysis  Sicula  sive  Historia  Naturalis  Ani- 

malium,  vegetabilium,  et  mineralium  quae  in  Sicilia  vel  in 
circuitu  ejus  inveniuntur,  opus  incaeptum  a  P.  Franc.  Cupani 
in  Panphyto  Siculo,  continuatum  ab  Anton.  Bonanno  Ger- 
vasi,  Jos.  Steph.  et  Franc.  Chiarelliis,  et  ab  C.  S.  Rafinesque- 
Schmaltz  locupletatum,  etc.  Palermo,  1807,  tab.  i. 

18 


138  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Quoted  from  the  "Specchio  delle  Scienze"  etc.  The 
work  itself  was  never  published.  Rafinesque  says  of  it: 
"The  book  thus  announced  was  never  published,  though 
it  would  have  done  much  honor  to  Sicily,  and  brought 
to  publicity  the  entire  Panphyton  Siculum,  with  all  the 
plates,  about  700  in  number."  The  "Prospectus"  alone 
was  issued. 

7.  Prospectus  of  Mr.  Rafinesque   Schmaltz's  two  intended  Works 

on  North-American  Botany;  the  first  on  the  new  Genera  and 
Species  of  Plants  discovered  by  himself,  and  the  second  on 
the  Natural  History  of  the  Funguses,  or  Mushroom-Tribe  of 
America.  (In  Medical  Repository,  2d  Hexade,  Vol.  V,  pp. 
350-356.  New  York,  1808.) 

8.  Essential  Generic  and  Specific   Characters   of  some   new  Gen- 

usses  and  Species  of  Plants  observed  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  in  1803  and  1804.  By  Mr.  C.  G.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz. 
In  a  communication  to  Dr.  Mitchill,  dated  Palermo,  Sept.  ist, 
1807.  (In  Medical  Repository,  2d  Hexade,  Vol.  V,  pp.  356-363. 
New  York,  1808.) 

9.  Notice    on    the    Medical    Properties    of   some    North-American 

Plants :  addressed  to  Dr.  Mitchill  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz. 
(In  Medical  Repository,  2d  Hexade,  Vol.  V,  pp.  423,  424.  New 
York,  1808.) 

10.  Cinquanta  figure  di  nuovi  Generi  e  nuovi  Specie  di  Piante  degli 
Stati  Uniti  di  America,  del  Sign.  C.  S.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz. 
Palermo.  1808. 

Title  quoted  from   the   " Specchio   delle  Scienze"  etc. 
Of  this  work  the  plates  only  were  printed. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  139 

11.  Sei  vedute  ad  acqua  forte  d'antichita  Siciliane  fatte  incidere  dal 

Sign.  C.  S.  Rafinesque.     Palermo.     1808. 

This  title  is  quoted  from  a  bibliographical  notice  on 
page  141,  Vol.  I,  of  the  Specchio  delle  Scienze.  A  plate 
of  "Ruined  Pillar  in  the  Eloriu-road"  (title  in  Italian, 
French,  and  English)  is  reprinted  in  this  magazine  at 
page  148. 

12.  Sur  les  proprietes  mddicales  de  quelques  plantes  de  1'Amerique 

Septentrionale ;  par  M.  Rafinesque  Schmacty  [Schmaltz], 
traduit  du  Medical  Repository  de  New-Yorck;  par  M.  Warden, 
Consul  americain.  (In  Desvaux's  Journal  de  Botanique,  Vol. 
I,  pp.  126-128.  Paris,  1808.) 

13.  Description  des  Plantes  trouvees  dans  les  Etats-Unis  d'Am£rique, 

en  1803  et  1804,  par  M.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz,  communiquee  a 
M.  Mitchill,  membre  du  Senat  des  Etats-Unis,  et  un  des 
Redacteurs  du  Medical  Repository  de  New-Yorck,  dans  un 
lettre  datee  de  Palerrne,  i  septembre  1807;  traduite  du  Medical 
Repository,  vol.  5,  p.  356,  avril  1808;  par  M.  Warden,  Consul 
americain.  (In  Desvaux's  Journal  de  Botanique,  Vol.  I,  pp. 
218-234.  Paris,  1808.) 

14.  Prospectus  de  M.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz,  relatif  a  deux  ouvrages 

sur  la  Botanique  du  Nord  de  TAmerique;  traduit  du  Medical 
Repositor}'  de  New-Yorck,  vol.  5,  p.  350,  par  M.  N.  A.  Desvaux. 
( In  Desvaux's  Journal  de  Botanique,  Vol.  II,  pp.  166-178.  Paris, 
1809.) 

15.  Caratteri  |  di  alcuni  nuovi  generi     e  nuovi  specie  |  di  animali 

e  piante  della  Sicilia  |  con  varie   osservazioni   sopra  i  mede- 

simi.  | |  Opuscolo  |  del  Sig.  C.  S.  Rafinesque   Schmaltz   j 

|  Palermo  |  1810.  |  Per  le   stampe   di    Sanfilippo.  |  | 

Con  Approvazione.  [8°.  pp  (4)  1-105  (J)>  pU-  xx  (77  figures).] 
Dated  "Palermo,  Aprile  i,  1810." 


140  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Rafinesque  says  of  this  book :  * 

"  It  would  not  be  proper  to  praise  one's  own  production,  so  it 
must  suffice  to  say  that  in  this  classical  work  (opera  classical  are 
described  24  new  species  of  Birds  and  Reptiles,  51  new  genera  and 
154  new  species  of  Fishes,  21  new  genera  and  188  new  species  of 
Plants,  terrestrial  and  marine,  all  observed  in  Sicily  and  undescribed 
('tnediti').  It  would  be  rare  good  fortune  to  be  able  to  effect  else 
where  in  Europe  such  an  aggregate  of  discoveries  and  new  Creatures : 
nevertheless  this  is  only  the  least  part  of  the  Author's  observations, 
and  is  simply  a  prelude  to  that  which  he  expects  to  give  to  the 
world  when  the  times  are  more  propitious  to  Science.  He  has 
nearly  ready  for  the  press  a  Fauna  and  Flora  of  Sicily,  both  class 
ical  works  which  will  be  brought  to  light  as  soon  as  he  is  appointed 
to  one  of  the  Professorships  which  he  is  seeking." 

One  of  these  professorships  was  that  of  the  Chair 
of  Botany  in  the  University  of  Palermo,  which  had  been 
filled  by  Professor  Tineo.  Both  Rafinesque  and  Bivana 
became  candidates,  but  the  choice  fell  on  Tineo's  son. 
The  other  professorship  sought  was  that  of  the  Chair  of 
Agriculture  and  Economy,  in  the  same  institution.  This 
was  finally  'filled  by  a  "Clerk  of  a  Minister  of  State", 
and  Rafinesque  never  attained  the  desired  preferment. 

16.  Indice  |  d'lttiologia  Siciliana  |  ossia  |  Catalogo  Metodico  dei 
Nomi  Latini  |  Italiani,  e  Siciliani  dei  Pesci,  che  |  si  Rinvengono 
in  Sicilia  |  Disposti  |  Secondo  un  Metodo  Naturale  |  eseguito  | 
da  un  Appendice  che  contiene  la  Descrizione  |  di  alcuni  nuovi 

Pesci    Siciliani  |  Illustrate    da    due    Piance.   |  |  Opuscolo 

del    Signore   |   C.   S.   Rafinesque    Schmaltz    |  -     -  |    Messina  j 

Presso  Giovanni  del  Nobolo  |  Con  Approvazzione  |  1810.  |  

(8vo,  pp.  1-70,  pi.  2.) 

*  Notice  of  and  extracts  from  this  work  may  be  found  in  fsis,  Band  22, 
Heft  5,  pp.  534-538.  Leipzig.  1829. 


Constantine  Satmiet  Rafinesque.  141 

17.  Progress  in   American   Botany.     A  letter   from   C.    Rafinesque 

Schmaltz,  Esq.,  of  Palermo  in  Sicily,  to  Dr.  Mitchill,  dated 
May  30,  1809.  (In  Medical  Repository,  3d  Hexade,  Vol.  I, 
p.  297,  New  York,  1810.) 

1 8.  Statistica    Generale  |  di    Sicilia  |  De'    Signori  |  D.    D.    Giuseppe 

Emmanuele  Ortolani  |  avvocato  e  mineralogico  |  e  Constantino 
S.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz  |  negoziante  e  naturalista  |  in  due 
parti  |  Nella  prima  si  descrive  il  Fisico  della  Sicilia,  |  nella 
seconda  il  suo  Morale.  |  Palermo  |  1810  |  Dalla  reale  stamp- 
eria.  |  (8vo,  pp.  49,  with  two  maps.) 

Rafinesque   remarks: 

"  The  Moral  Statistics  of  Sicily.— ( '  //  morale  della  Sicilia ' ).  The 
second  and  more  important  part  of  this  useful  and  innocent  work, 
was  fully  approved  by  the  Royal  and  Ecclesiastical  censors  ('  revisori 
regj  e  chiesiastici'},  nevertheless  its  printing  was  prohibited  by  a 
timorous  Neapolitan  cabinet-minister,  because  it  discussed  the  con 
dition  of  the  government,  the  customs  service,  the  army,  the  public 
institutions  &c  of  Sicily.  The  authors  intend,  however,  to  print  it 
as  soon  as  we  are  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  liberty  of  the  press." 

In  the  " Specchio"  for  February,  1814,  p.  80,  it  is  said: 

"It  is  proposed  to  send  to  the  press  the  second  part  of  the 
'  Statistica  de  Sicilia.' — The  '  Statistica  Morale  '  which  includes  the 
geographical,  constitutional,  political,  commercial,  economic,  historical, 
literary,  &c  descriptions  of  Sicily,  by  Signori  Ortolani  and  Rafinesque, 
with  a  map  of  ancient  Sicily  and  two  plates  or  views,  in  one  quarto 
volume,  at  the  price  of  8  '  tari'  (12  'tari'  for  the  two  parts)  to  be 
paid  on  delivery,  if  before  printing  there  are  100  subscriptions. 

"  It  would  be  futile  to  praise  such  a  book,  but  it  should  suffice 
to  say  that  the  last  Parliament  ordered  an  exact  census  of  the  Island. 


142  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  authors  were  the  first  to  conceive  such  a  plan,  and  had  completed 
it  in  1810.  They  had  no  access  to  official  documents,  and  were 
forbidden  to  print  the  book,  although  it  had  been  approved  by  the 
censors.  In  our  feeble  judgment  it  will  be  of  value  to  all  citizens." 

19.  An  Essay  on  the   exotic  plants  mostly  European,  which  have 

been  naturalized,  and  now  grow  spontaneously  in  the  Middle 
States  of  North  America.  By  C.  S.  Rafmesque  Schmaltz. 
[Dated  Palermo,  ist  Apr.,  1810.]  (In  Medical  Repository,  3d 
Hexade,  Vol.  II,  pp.  330-345.  New  York,  1811.) 

20.  Botanical  information  concerning  two  Families  of  Plants.    I.  Spe 

cies  of  the  genus  Callitriche.  II.  North  American  species 
of  the  genus  Potamogeton.  (In  Medical  Repository,  3d  Hex 
ade,  Vol.  II,  pp.  407-409.  New  York,  1811.  A  letter  to  Dr. 
Mitchill,  dated  Palermo,  Apr.  i,  1810.) 

21.  Cento  venti  tavole  del  Panphyton  Siculum   di  Cupani,   nuova- 

mente  fatte  incidere  col  ritrato  di  Cupani,  dal  Sig.  C.  S. 
Rafinesque-Schmaltz.  Palermo.  Folio.  1812.  pp.  ?. 

Title  quoted  from  the  "Specchio  dellc  Scienze"  etc. 
Doctor  Goode,  who  gives  me  this  title,  also  quotes  the 
following  information : 

"  The  famous  '  Panphyton  Siculum '  of  Cupani  is  a  book  so  rare 
that  perhaps  only  four  copies  exist  in  Sicily  and  Europe.  The 
author  of  this  reprint  has  had  the  copy  in  the  library  of  the  Jesuit 
fathers  in  Palermo  exactly  copied  at  great  expense.  This  contains 
650  plates  but  he  has  had  only  120  engraved,  selected  specially  with 
the  purpose  of  making  this  precious  work  more  generally  known." 

22.  Description  de  quelques  Vegetaux  de  Sicile  et  des  Etats-Unis; 

par  Rafinesch  [Rafinesque]  Schmaltz.  ( Desvaux's  Journal  de 
Botanique,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  235,  236.  Paris,  1813.) 


Constanhne  Samuel  Rafinesque.  143 

23.  Champignons  des  Etats-Unis.     (  Desvaux's  Journal  de  Botanique, 

Vol.  Ill,  pp.  236,  237.     Paris,  1813.) 

This  paper,  devoted  to  the  mushrooms,  is  one  of  the 
very  few  botanical  papers  of  Rafinesque  which  deal 
with  cryptogams. 

24.  Specchio   delle  scieuze  |  o  |  giornale  enciclopedico   di  Sicilia   | 

deposito  letterario  |  delle  moderne  cognizioni,  scoperte,  ed 
osservazioni  |  sopra  le  scienze  ed  arti  |  E  particolarmente 
sopra  la  Fisica,  la  Chimica,  la  |  Storia  Naturale,  la  Botanica, 
1'Agricoltura,  la  Me-  |  dicina,  il  Commercio,  la  L,egislazione, 
1'Educa-  |  zione,  ec.  |  -  -  |  Tomo  priuio  |  prima  annata  e  primo 

semestre.  |  Instruire  utilement,  est  le  but  ou  j 'aspire.  | | 

Palermo  |  Delia  Tipografia  di  Francesco  Abate  Qm.  Domen- 
ico.  |  1814.  (I^arge  8vo,  pp.  1-216.  2  pi.) 

The  first  volume  of  this  rare  work  consists  of  the 
first  six  numbers  of  the  "  Mirror  of  the  Sciences,"  with 
the  following  dates  of  publication: 

Number      I.  i  Gennaro  1814.     pp.  1-44. 

Number    II.  i  Febbraro  1814.     pp.  45-80. 

Number  III.  i  Marzo  1814.     pp.  81-112.     i  tavola. 

Number  IV.  i  Aprile  1814.     pp.  113-148.     i  tavola. 

Number    V.  i  Maggio  1814.     149-180. 

Number  VI.  i  Giugno  1814.     181-216. 

Volume  two  consists  of  Numbers  VII  to  XII,  and 
ends  the  work. 

The  title  of  the  second  volume  is  somewhat  different, 
so  that  it  deserves  recognition  as  a  distinct  bibliographical 
unit.  It  is  as  follows: 


144  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

25.  Specchio  delle  scienze  |  o  |  giornale  enciclopedico  di  Sicilia  | 
deposito  letterario  |  delle  moderne  cognizioni,  scoperte,  ed 
osservazioni  sopra  le  scienze  ed  arti  |  E  particolarmente  sopra 
la  Fisica,  la  Chimica,  la  |  Somiologia,  1'Agricoltura,  la  Medi- 
cina,  la  Legis-  |  lazione,  etc.  |  Scritto  dal  Signore  |  C.  S. 

Rafinesque  | |  Tomo  secondo   |  prima  annata  e  secondo 

semestre.  | |  Instruire  utilement,   est  le  but  ou   j 'aspire 

j   |  Palermo  |  della  Tipografia  di  Francesco  Abate  Qm 

Domenico.  |  1814.     (Large  8vo.  pp.  1-192  (?).) 

Number    VII.  i  Guglio  1814.     pp.  1-32. 

Number  VIII.  i  Agosto  1814.     pp.  33-64. 

Number      IX.  i  Settember  1814.     pp.  65-96. 

Number       X.  i  Ottober  1814.     pp.  97-128. 

Number     XI.  i  November  1814.     pp.  129-160. 

Number   XII.  i  December  1814.     pp.  161-192  (?). 

The  title-page  reverse  of  Volume  I  has  the  following 
note,  fixing  the  chief  part  of  the  work  on  Rafinesque. 
The  note  reads : 

"  Tutte  quelle  scoverte  ed  Osservazioni  che  in  questo  Giornale 
non  porteranno  un  nome  particulare  d'Autore  saranno  proprie  del 
Sig.  C.  S.  Rafinesque  Schmaltz." 

This  publication,  designed  to  compass  the  widest 
range  of  physical  and  natural  science,  appears  to  have 
been  modeled  upon  the  " Medical  Repository*''1  of  Doctor 

*"The  Medical  Repository,  comprehending  Original  Essays  and  Intelli 
gence  relative  to  Medicine,  Chemistry,  Natural  History,  Agriculture,  Geography 
and  the  Arts ;  more  especially  as  they  are  cultivated  in  America ;  and  a  Review 
of  American  publications  on  Medicine,  and  the  Auxiliary  Branches  of  Science. 
Conducted  by  Samuel  Latham  Mitchill  and  Edward  Miller."  This  title  was  for 
the  year  1811. 


Constantino  Samuel  Rafinesque.  145 

Samuel  Latham  Mitchill,  with  which  Rafinesque  was 
familiar.  He  had  contributed  a  number  of  articles  to 
Doctor  Mitchill's  journal,  itself  a  magazine  of  the  broad 
est  character.  Rafinesque,  as  editor  of  the  "Specchw", 
appears  to  have  been  almost  the  sole  contributor.  The 
journal  is  mentioned  in  the  "Precis  des  Decouvertes  et 
Travaux  Somiologiques  "  on  page  four,  as  follows:  "J'ai 
entrepris  depuis  le  commencement  de  cette  annee  la 
redaction  d'un  Journal  letteraire  (le  seule  en  son  genre 
ici)  dont  je  public  un  numero  tons  les  mois,  sous  le 
titre  de  Specchio  delle  Scienze  o  Giornale  Enciclo- 
pedico  di  Sicilia  etc".  With  the  end  of  the  year  it 
ceased  to  exist. 

To  Doctor  G.  Brown  Goode,  Assistant  Secretary  of 
the  National  Museum,  I  am  indebted  for  the  full  title 
of  this  work.  He  has  also  kindly  made  from  it  the 
list  of  separate  titles,  which  are  here  given.  The  last 
number  of  the  second  volume  is  wanting  in  the  Smith 
sonian  Library,  and  Doctor  Goode  has  supplied  the 
data  from  other  sources.  The  articles  by  Rafinesque 
are  as  follows : 

( i )  Manifesto  [della  "  Specchio  delle  Scienze  "].     I.     pp.  3-6. 

This  is  dated  Palermo,  September  15,  1813.  "It  is 
a  very  elaborate  plan  for  an  encyclopedic  journal,  which 
the  editor  hopes  may  become  world-wide  in  its  influence" 

(Goode). 

19 


146  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

( 2 )  Osservazioni  sopra  il  clima  della  Sicilia.    I.   pp.  3-6,  45-47,  81-84. 

( 3 )  Nuova  Veduta,  o  Divisione  dello  Studio  Metodico  dell'  Istoria 

Naturale.     I.    pp.  10,  n. 

(4)  O  Quadro  del  Metodo  Sinottico  di  Somiologia.     I.     pp.  11-15. 

(5)  Descrizione  d'un  nuovo  genere  di  Pesce.    Leptopus  peregrinus. 

I.     pp.  16,  17. 

(6)  Sopra  due  nuovi  Alberi  del  Monte  Etna.     I.     pp.  17,  18. 
{Betula  etnensis,  n.  s. ;    Spartium  etnensis,  n.  s.] 

(7)  Osservazioni  sopra  la  Pioggia  terrosa  seguita  in  Palermo  nel 

Mese  di  Marzo,  1813.     I.     pp.  18-20. 

(8-10)  Dicefilo.     No.  i,  I,  pp.   21-23;   No.  2,  I,  pp.  59-62;  No.  3, 
Vol.  II,  pp.  33-39. 

"  Three  essays  on  prison  reform,  published  under  the  section 
of  the  journal  headed  '  Legislazione '  with  many  references  to  the 
system  in  the  United  States  and  to  a  description  of  the  Prisons  of 
Philadelphia  and  New  York,  translated  from  the  tracts  of  LaRouche- 
foucauld  de  Liancourt.  This  is  the  work  catalogued  in  Rafinesque's 
French  Bibliography  under  the  title  '  Dicefile,  ou  1'Ami  de  la  Justice ' ' 
(Goode). 

( 1 1 )  Quadro  della  Letteratura  Siciana  nel  principio  di  questo  secolo 

6  Raguaglio  dell'  Opere  stampate  in  Sicilia  dal   1800  a  tutto 
il  1812.     I.     pp.  35-43. 

(12)  Memorie  sopra  le  Riforme  chi  richiede  1'Agricoltura  Siciliana. 

I.     pp.  48-51. 

(13)  Paragone  di  alcuni  Stabilimenti,  Instituzioni,  ed  Usi  economic! 

6  politici  d'  Inghilterra  e  di  Sicilia.     I.     pp.  51-53. 

( 14)  Definizioni  delle  nuove  Classi  naturali  di  Vegetabili.  I.  pp.  53,  54. 
[Eltroginias  Mesoginia,  Endoginia,  Sinfoginia,  Angioginia,  Gim- 

noginia,  Faneroginia,  Crittoginia,  Algolia,  MicoliaJ] 

(15)  Illustrazioni  di  Materica  Medica  Siciliana  [Essempio  Zologico. — 

Grapsus  fluviatilis\.     I.     pp.  55-58. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  147 

(16)  Seguito  del  Quadro  della  L,etteratura  Siciliana  nel  principle  di 

questo  Secolo  6  dal  1800  al  1812.     I.     pp.  72-75,  108-110. 

(17)  Neogenito  Esotico  o  Definizioni  di  cento  nuovi  generi  di  Piante 

Esotiche.     I.     pp.  86-88;   115-117;   156-158;   192-195. 
[Pkemeranthus,     Phyllepidum,     Valentiana,     Kinia,    Radiana :  — 
Bonannia,    Geanihus,   Prychanthus,   Triclisperma,    Viviania :  — 
Bivonea,   Crafordia,  Wilsonia,  Pelagnia,  Edwardia :  —  Tenorea, 
Hexorima,  Vireya,  Plenckia,  Dicarphus^\ 

This  article,  continued  through  several  numbers,  had 
one  plate  illustrating  Phyllepidum  squarrosum. 

( 18)  Osservazioni  microscopiche  fatte  ...  in  Agusto  1812.    pp.  88-90. 
[Describes   a   new   conferva,   Arthrodia   linearis,   and   two   new 

minute  animals,  Xanemus  vibroides  and  Paranuecium  dioxinum.] 

(19)  Seguito  del   Quadro   della    L,etteratura   Siciliana,   etc.     I.   pp. 

108-110. 

( 20)  [Quadro  degli]  Ordini  Eltrologici  6  Definizioni  degli  Ordini  della 

prime  Classe  delle  Piante,  L/Eltrogynia.     I.     pp.  113-115. 

(21)  Seguito  delle  tre  Illustrazioni  di  Materia  Medica  Siciliana.     2. 

Esempio  Botanico — Asphodelus  ramosus.     I.     pp.  130-134. 

(22)  Seguito  del  Quadro  della  Letteratura  Siciliana  del  1800  al  1812. 

I.     pp.  140-143. 

(23)  Addenda  agli  Ordini  Eltrologici.     I.     p.  148. 

The  orders  are  finally  fixed  in  the  "Addenda"  as  fol 
lows: 

" Sotto-Classe  Po ly gy nia. 

i.  Ord.  Rhodanthia.     2.  Ord.  Perimesia.     3.  Ord.  Adnantheria. 

Sotto-Classe  Eltrandria. 

4  Ord.  Axanthia.  5  Ord.  Monospermia,  6  Ord.  Plyrontia.  7 
Ord.  Isandria.  8  Ord.  Spyridia.  9  Ord.  Monostimia.  10. 
Ord.  Polynesia,  n  Ord.  Isostimia. 


148  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Sotto-Classe  Symphandria. 

12  Ord.  Adelphidia.      13  Ord.  Omoplitia.      14  Ord.  Perimonia. 
15  Ord.  Cyteanthia.     16  Ord.  Peritalia" 

(24)  Quadro  ragionato  del  Commercio  attivo  della  Sicilia,  e  di  suoi 

generi  d'esportazione,  [I.  Parte.  Produzioni  Mineral!.]     I.    pp. 

I49-I53- 

(25)  Esempio  del  Metodo  Sinottico  di  Botanica,  illustrato  nel  primo 

Ordine  della  prima  Classe.     I.     pp.  154-156. 

(26)  Osservazioni  sopra  le  Stagioni,  e  le  Pioggie  in  Sicilia.     I.     pp. 

158-161. 

(27)  Fine  del  Quadro  della  Letteratura  Siciliana  dal   1800  al  1812. 

I.     pp.  172-175.  ' 

(28)  Nuova  Divisione  del  Globo  Terrestre.     I.     pp.  181-184. 

(29)  Nuova  Divisione  geografica  della  Sicilia.     I.     pp.  184-187. 

(30)  Fine  delle  tre  Illustrazioni  di  Materia  Medica  Siciliana  del  Sign. 

C.  S.  Rafinesque.     3.  Esempio  Mineralogico. — Succinum  elec- 
tricum.     I.     pp.  187-191. 

(31)  Descrizione  del  Buphthalmum  crassifolium,  nuova  specie  di  Pianta 

delle  vicinanze  di  Palermo.     I.     pp.  191,  192. 

(32)  Suplemento  al  Quadro  della  L/etteratura  Siciliana  del   1800  al 

1812.     I.     pp.  207-210. 

The  second  volume,  the  title  of  which  is  given  above, 
contains  the  following  articles: 

(33)  Nuova  divisione  delle  Acque  del  nostro  Globo.     II.     pp.  3-5. 

(I.  Parte,  Talassografia.     II.  Parte,  Dimnografia.     III.  Parte, 
Potamografia.) 

(34)  Descrizione  di  una  nuova  pianta  Siciliana,  Saponaria  Sicula.    II. 

PP-  7-9- 

(35)  Quadro  delle  Instituzioni  letterarie  e  scientifiche  della  Citta  di 

Londra  nel  1813.     II.     pp.  9-13. 

(36)  Popolazione  della  Sicilia.     II.     pp.  13-16. 


Constantme  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


(37)  Quadro  della   L,etteratura   Siciliana  nel    1813.     II.     pp.  27-29; 

60-62;  91-94;  123-126. 
(  38  )  Osservazioni  sopra  gli  Animali  Polistomi,  ed  un  nuovo  Genere 

di  essi,  Polactoma.     II.     pp.  41-43. 

(39)  Analisi    di   uu   Opuscolo  Somiologico   francese,  titolato,  Precis 

des  Decouvertes  &  des  travaux  somiologiques  di  C.  S.  Rafin 
esque,  Palermo,  1814,  55  pagini,  8  pic.     II.     pp.  43,  44. 

(40)  Una  Osservazione  di  Nosologia  vegetabile.     II.     p.  45. 

(  41  )  Definizioni  di  due  nuove  species  Siciliane  del  Genere  Hesperis 
[//.  rtipestris  &  H.  fasciculata]     II.     pp.  46-47. 

(42)  Economia  pubblica.     Quadro  dello   Studio  metodico  di  questa 

Scienza.     II.     pp.  47-50. 

(43)  Prodromo  di  Erpetologia  Siciliana.     II.     pp.  65-67;  102-104. 

(44)  Seguito  delle  Osservazioni  microscopiche  si  veda   il  Tom.  I., 

num.  3,  pag.  88.     II.     pp.  68,  69. 

[  Volvox  fuscus  n.  s.  ;  Volvox  ovalis,  n.  s.  ;  Monas  punctum,  n.  s.  ; 
Zomorphus  ocellatiis,  n.  s.  ;  Cercaria  bispinosa,  n.  s.  ;  Cercaria 
verticilloides,  n.  s.  ;  Vorticella  bidentata,  n.  s.] 

(45)  Definizioni   di   due    nuove    Specie    Siciliane   e   frutescenti   del 

genere  Brassica.     II.     pp.  69,  70. 
[Brassica  montana,  n.  s.  and  Brassica  crispa,  n.  s.] 

(46)  Analisi  di  un  opera  francese  di  Storia  Naturale.     II.    pp.  70-72 

(47)  Abbozzo  di  una  nuova  Teoria  o  Classificazione  dei  Colori.     II. 

pp.  72-74. 

(48)  Pensieri  sopra  1'Oreologia  ossia  lo  Studio  delle  Montagne.    II. 

pp.  76-78. 

(49)  Scoperta  di  un  intiero  Mammonte  in  Siberia.     II.     pp.  86-88. 

[Elephas  mammonteus,  n.  s.,  described.] 

(50)  Osservazioni  sopra  le  migrazioni  dei  Pesci.     II.    pp.  97-100. 

(51)  Descrizione  di   un   Nuovo   Genere   di  Pesce   Siciliano.     Ncmo- 

chirus  erythropterus.     II.     pp.  100-102. 

(  52  )  Descrizione  di  un  nuova  genere  di  Fungo  Siciliano.     Endcematus 
albus.     II.     p.  105. 


150  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

( 53 )  Notizia  dei  mineral!  e  fossili  delle  vicinanze  di  Nicosia  in  Sicilia. 

II.     pp.  105-108. 

(54)  Descrizione  delle  Cave  Antiche  di  Nicosia,  Sperlinga,  etc.     II. 

pp.  108-110. 

(55)  Osservazioni  sopra  le  specie   Siciliane  del  genere  Phoca.     II. 

pp.  129-131. 

[Discusses  Phoca  and  describes  Aghphema,  n.  g. ;  Selopoda,  n.  g. ; 
Parthenopa,  n.  g.,  and  Aglophema  maculata,  n.  s. ;  Selopoda  fusca, 
n.  s. ;  Parthenopa  leucogaster,  n.  s.] 

(56)  Descrizione  di  due  nuovi  genere  di  Meduse  Siciliane.    II.    pp. 

i3J»  I32- 
[Styrifius,  n.  g.,  and  Pterostoma,  n.  g.] 

(57)  Arrive  delle  L,odole   [skylarks]  vicino  Palermo  nell'  autunno. 

II.     pp.  132-134. 

(58)  Descrizione  di  una  nuova  specie  di  Marrubium  [M.  saxatile]. 

II.     pp.  134,  135. 

(59)  Osservazioni  sopra  \\Rumex  linaria  di  L,inneo.    II.    pp.  135,  136. 

(60)  Nuova  Malattia  Vegetabile.     II.     p.  136. 

(61 )  Memoria  sopra  i  Venti  in  Sicilia,  le  Aure  diurne,  ed  il  Scirocco. 

II.     pp.  142-146. 

(62)  Penseri    sopra    le    Comete    di    un    anonimo    inglese.     II.     pp. 

148,  149. 

(63)  [Nota  sopra  gli]  Caratteri  delle  specie  di  due  nuovi  generi  di 

Quadrupedi  fossili,  Pal&tkerium,  e   Anoplotherium,  del   Sign. 
Cuveri.     II.     p.  153. 

(64)  Quadro  dei  Generi  di  Molluschi  pteropodi  dei  Signori  Peron  e 

Lesueur.     II.     pp.  153-155. 

[This  article  has  the  following  new  genera:  Hypterus,  n.  g. ; 
Sarcopterus,  n.  g. ;  Heteroptera,  n.  g. ;  Abretia,  n.  g. ;  Cteniurus, 
n.  g. ;  Dicroptera,  n.  g.] 

(65)  Quadro  della  L,etteratura  Siciliana  nel  1814.     II.    pp.  155-158. 

(66)  Definizioni  di  36  nuovi  generi  di  Animali  marini.     II.    p.  161. 

[Not  seen.] 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 

(67)  Due  ambigue  produzioni  marine.     II.     p.  166.     [Not  seen.] 

(68)  Enumerazione  di  14  spugne  di  Sicilia.    II.    p.  168.    [Not  seen.] 

26.  Pre'cis  |  des    Decouvertes    et   Travaux  |  Somiologiques  |  de    Mr. 

C.  S.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz.  |  entre  1800  et  1814  |  Ou  choix 
raisonne  de  ses  principales  Decouvertes  |  en  Zoologie  et  en 
Botanique,  pour  servir  |  d'introduction  a  ses  ouvrages  |  futurs  i 

|  De  Linne  le  genie  il  a  choisi  pour  guide.  |  -    -  |  Pal- 

erme  |  Royale  Typographic  Militaire.  |  1814.  |  Aux  depens  de 
1'Auteur.  |      ( 24mo.  pp.  55.) 

This  work  was  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  the  botanist 
Persoon. 

27.  Principes   Fondamentaux  |  de  |  Somiologie  |  ou  |  les  loix  de  la 

nomenclature  et  de  la  |  classification  de  1'empire  organique  \ 
ou  des  anirnaux  et  des  vegetaux  I  contenant  les  Regies  essen- 
tielles  de  1'Art  de  leur  |  imposer  des  noms  immuables  et  de 
les  |  classer  me'thodiquement  |  par  C.  S.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz.  | 

|  Palerme  | |  De  1'Imprimerie  de  Franc.  Abate,  |  aux 

depens  de  1'Auteur.  |  1814.     (8°,  pp.  50  +). 

28.  Sur  les  Ouvrages  de  M.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz.     ( Desvaux's  Jour 

nal  de  Botanique,  Vol.  IV,  pp.  268-276.     Paris.     1814.) 

This  paper  was  a  reprint  of  the  botanical  portion  of 
the  "  Precis  des  Decouvertes." 

29.  Chloris  ^Stnensis  |  o  |  le  Quattro  Florule  dell' Etna,  |  opuscolo  j 

del  Sig.  C.  S.  Rafinesque-Schmaltz.  |  Palermo,  Dicembre 
1813.  |  Destinato  per  essere  inserito  |  nella  |  Storia  Naturale 
Dell'Etna,  |  Del  Can'co  Recupero,  |  dal  suo  degno  nipote  |  il 
Can'co  Tes're  D.  Agatino  Recupero  |  Di  Catania.  |  Catania. 
1815.  (4to.  pp.  15.) 


152  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

This  work  formed  a  portion  of  Recupero's  Natural 
History  of  Mt.  Etna,  the  "  Storia  Naturale  e  Generale 
dell'Btna."  It  was  issued  in  advance  of  the  completed 
work,  and  is  now  very  rare. 

30.  Analyse  |  de  la  Nature  |  ou  |  Tableau  de  L'Univers  |  et  |  des 

Corps   Organises  | |  par  C.   S.   Rannesque  |  De   1'Institut 

des  Sciences  naturelles  de  Naples,  et  |  de  la  Societe  Italienne 

des  Sciences  et  des  arts.  |  |  L,a  Nature  est  mon  guide,  et 

Linneus   mon   maitre.    |  |  Palerme  |    1815  |  |  Aux 

de*pens  de  1'Auteur.     (8vo.,  pp.  224.) 

The  frontispiece  of  the  "Analysis  of  Nature"  is  a 
portrait  which  is  believed  to  be  the  original  of  the 
painting  from  which  the  Popular  Science  Monthly  por 
trait  was  taken.  The  volume  is  now  among  the  rarest 
of  all  of  Rafinesque's  writings. 

31.  Circular  Address  |  on  |  Botany  and  Zoology;  |  followed  by  the  | 

prospectus  of  two  periodical  works;  Annals  of  Nature  |  and 
Somiology  of  North  America.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  of  the 
Royal  Institute  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Naples,  |  and  of  several 

other  learned  societies  |  in  Europe  and  America.  |  |  Chi 

fa  quanto  puo,  fa  quanto  deve.  |  -  -  |  Philadelphia:  |  Printed 
for  the  Author,  by  S.  Merritt,  |  74,  south  Second  street.  |  .  .  .  | 
1816.  |  (i2mo.,  pp.  36.) 

Two  editions  of  this  pamphlet,  one  a  larno  and  the 
other  an  i8mo,  were  issued  for  free  distribution. 

32.  Precis  des  decouvertes  somiologiques  ou  Distribution  methodique 

de  tours  les  corps  de  la  nature.     Palermo.     1816. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


I  have  never  seen  this  work,  the  title  of  which 
is  quoted  from  Rafinesque  himself,  and  do  not  know 
whether  it  is  another  issue  of  the  earlier  work  of  sim 
ilar  title  of  1814.  The  date  of  publication  is  two  years 
later,  but  identity  is  more  than  probable. 

33.  [Review    of]    Barton's   "Flora    Philadelphia    Prodrotnus,   etc." 

(American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  5, 
PP-  356-359-  New  York.  1817.) 

Rafinesque  claims,  in  this  review,  a  number  of  species 
previously  published  by  himself. 

34.  Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.     By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Esquire,     i. 

Description  of  the  Tubipora  Striatulse,  a  new  species  of  Fossil 
from  the  State  of  New-York.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  5,  pp.  359,  360.  New  York.  1817.) 

Striatulcs  is  a  misprint  for  striatula,  which  is  spelled 
correctly  in  the  article. 

35.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     2.     Specimens  of  several  new 

American  species  of  the  genus  Aphis.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  *  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  5,  pp.  360,  361.  New 
York.  1817.) 

36.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     3.     New  species  of  Mammifers, 

noticed  in  the  Notes  to  the  (Tableau  methodique  des  Mammi- 
feres)  Methodical  Picture  of  the  Mammifers,  by  D.  Desmarets, 
in  the  24th  and  last  volume  of  the  French  New  Dictionary  of 
Natural  History.  Paris,  1804.  Translated  and  improved,  by 
C.  S.  Rafinesque.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical 
Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  5,  pp.  361-363.  New  York.  1817.) 


154  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Defines  the  genus  Mazama.  Describes  Galago  minu- 
tus,  Cants  leucoxurus,  Castor  europeus,  Cervus  melanopus, 
Mazama  bira  and  Mazama  pita.  Of  these  several  are 
simply  removed  from  another  genus. 

37.  [Review  of]  A  Manual  of  Botany  for  the  Northern  States,  com 
prising  generic  descriptions  of  all  Phenogamous  and  Crypto- 
gamous  plants  to  the  north  of  Virginia,  hitherto  described,  &c, 
&c.  Compiled  by  the  Editor  of  Richard's  Botanical  Dictionary. 
Albany.  Webster  &  Skinners.  1817.  i2tno.  pp.  164.  (Amer 
ican  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  6,  pp. 
426-430.  New  York.  1817.) 

This  reviews  very  harshly  the  first  edition  of  Baton's 
Botany.  The  review  begins  thus: 

"The  work  before  us,  has  no  higher  claim  than  to  the  title  of 
a  mere  compilation;  but  compilations  are  sometimes  very  useful 
when  properly  and  skilfully  executed,  and  this  manual  professing 
utility  as  its  avowed  object,  it  may  be  incumbent  to  examine  how 
far  this  desideratum  has  been  attained.  It  is  ushered  under  the 
patronage  of  the  members  of  the  Botanical  Class  in  Williams' 
College,  Massachusetts,  for  whose  use  it  appears  to  have  been 
compiled,  and  whose  thanks  are  offered  to  the  author  for  his 
pains.  While  it  must  be  highly  gratifying  to  observe  that  as 
many  as  sixty-three  students  have  signed  that  address,  and  attended 
the  lectures  on  mineralogy  and  botany,  delivered  by  the  author  in 
that  College,  and  while  they  express  their  gratitude  towards  him 
in  terms  highly  commendable,  it  may  be  proper  to  hint,  that 
students  are  not  in  general  the  best  judges  of  what  is  most  useful 
in  their  pursuits.  What  they  deem  such,  may  often  prove  otherwise, 
and  they  are  but  seldom  enabled  to  detect  the  errors  of  their  teachers, 
while  they  are  taught  to  consider  them  as  doctrines  and  truths." 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  155 

38.  Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.     By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Esquire.    4. 

Dissertation  on  Water  Snakes,  Sea  Snakes  and  Sea  Serpents. 
(American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  6, 
pp.  431-435.  New  York.  1817.  Reprinted,  with  same  title,  in 
The  Philosophical  Magazine  and  Journal,  London,  Vol.  LIV,  pp. 
361-367.  1819.) 

Describes  Ophinectes  n.  g.,  Natrix,  n.  g.,  and  new 
species  as  follows  :  Natrix  dorsalis,  Platurus  laurenti* 
Hydrophis  cyanura,  Pelamis  schneideri,  Pelamis  margin- 
atus,  Pelamis  fuscatus,  Ophinectes  cinereus,  Ophinectes 
viridis,  Ophinectes  luteus,  Ophinectes  cerulescens,  Ophi 
nectes  versicolor,  Ophinectes  maculatus,  Ophinectes  punc- 
tatus,  Ophinectes  crythrocephalus  [misprint  for  erythro- 
cephalus\  Ophinectes  dorsalis,  and  Ophinectes  major. 

39.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     5.  Extracts  from  the  Journal  of 

Mr.  Charles  LeRaye,  relating  to  some  new  Quadrupeds  of  the 
Missouri  Region,  with  notes  by  C.  S.  R.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  6,  pp.  435-437.  1817.) 
\Corvus  \cervus\  macrurus,  n.  s. ;  Cants  cklorops,  n.  s. ;  Cervus  mel- 
anurus,  n.  s.;  Melesium  pratense,  n.  s. ;  Felis  misax,  n.  s.,  and 
Lynx  aureus,  n.  s.] 

40.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     Botany.     6.  Neogenytum  Sicu- 

lurn,  or  Descriptions  of  four  new  genera  of  Dicotyle  Sicilian 
Plants.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol. 
I,  No.  6,  pp.  437-439-  .1817.) 

*The  description  of  this  form  is  the  very  briefest  that  I  remember  ever 
having  seen  in  a  work  on  natural  history.  It  reads  :  "  2.  sp.  Platurus  laurenti 
Raf.  Tail  obtuse." 


156  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

41.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     7.    Description   of  seven   new 

Species  of  Sicilian  Plants.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  6,  pp.  439,  440.  1817.) 

42.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     8.  Florula  of  the  White  Moun 

tain  of  New-Hampshire.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  I,  No.  6,  pp.  440-442.  1817.) 

43.  Museum   of   Natural   Sciences.     By   C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Esq.     9. 

Synopsis  of  four  New  Genera  and  ten  new  Species  of  Crustacea, 
found  in  the  United  States.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  i,  pp.  40-43.  1817.) 

44.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     10.  First  decade  of  undescribed 

American  Plants,  or  Synopsis  of  new  species,  from  the  United 
States.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol. 
II,  No.  i,  pp.  43,  44.  1817.) 

45.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     n.  Descriptions  of  seven  new 

genera  of  North  American  Quadrupeds.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  i,  pp.  44-46.  1817.) 
[Mazama,  Diplostoma,  p.  44;  Geomys,  Cynomys,  Anisonyx,  My- 
nomes,  p.  45  ;  Lynx,  p.  46.] 

46.  Survey  of  the  progress  and  actual  state  of  Natural  Sciences  in 

the  United  States  of  America,  from  the  beginning  of  this 
century  to  the  present  time.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  pp.  81-89.  1817.) 

This  article  was  to  be  continued,  having  surveyed 
but  a  portion  of  the  field,  but  the  design  was  never 
completed.  It  is  a  very  masterly  piece  of  work. 

47.  Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.     12.  Description   of  the   loxylon 

Pomiferum,  a  new  genus  of  North  American  tree.  (American 
Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  pp. 
118,  119.  1817.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  157 

48.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]      13.   Second  Decade  of  unde- 

scribed  American  Plants.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  pp.  119,  120.  1817.) 

49.  [Museum    of   Natural    Sciences.]      14.    First    Decade    of    new 

North-American  Fishes.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  pp.  120,  121.  1817.) 

50.  [Review  of]   American  Entomology,  or  Descriptions  of  the  In 

sects  of  North  America,  illustrated  by  coloured  figures  from 
drawings  executed  from  nature,  by  Thomas  Say,  &c.  (Amer 
ican  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2, 
p.  143.  1817.) 

Rafinesque  does  not  give  this  book  by  Say  a  very 
complimentary  notice.  He  says,  among  other  things : 
"The  United  States  can  at  last  boast  of  having  a  learned 
and  enlightened  Entomologist  in  Mr.  Say.  Those 
who  have  preceded  him  .  .  .  have  merely  been  collec 
tors  .  .  ."  He  then  proceeds  to  complain  of  the  cost 
of  the  publication,  saying,  "  we  are  offered  an  elegant 
specimen  of  typography:  but  the  price  of  it  is  two 
dollars.  For  that  sum  we  have  forty  pages  (of  which 
twelve  are  quite  blank)  and  six  coloured  plates,  contain 
ing  only  eight  species  (whereof  five  are  new)  while 
they  might  have  included  sixty  .  .  ."  etc. 

51.  [Review  of]   Descriptio  uberior  Graminum  et  Plantarum  Cala- 

mariarum  Americae  septentrionalis,  indigenarum  et  circurum. 
Auctore  D.  Henrico  Muhlenberg,  etc.  (American  Monthly  Mag 
azine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  pp.  143,  144.  1817.) 


158  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

52.   Florula  Ludoviciana;  |  or,  |  A  Flora  |  of  the  |  State  of  Louisiana. 

|  |  Translated,  revised,  and  improved,  |  from  the  French  of 

C.  C.  Robin,  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Of  the  Royal  Institute  of 
Naples,  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  |  Philadelphia,  the 
Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  of  New-  |  York,  the  Lyceum 
of  Natural  History  of  New- York,  |  &c.  &c.  &c.  Author  of 

the  Analysis  |  of  Nature  &c.  &c.  &c.  | |  Quand  les  mate- 

riaux  sont  imperfaits,  r edifice  ne  pent  pas  etre  complet.  \  | 

New- York :  |  Published  by  C.  Wiley  &  Co.  |  No.  3  Wall-Street. 
1817.  |  Price  One  Dollar.  (8vo,  pp.  178.) 

This  is  the  volume  which  first  of  all  his  works  has 
led  to  and  justified  the  severe  criticisms  which  have 
been  visited  upon  Rafinesque.  The  work  is  based  upon 
a  list  made  by  a  French  traveler,  C.  C.  Robin,  who  jour 
neyed  through  Louisiana  and  Florida  in  1802-1806. 
Returning  to  Paris  he  published  in  the  following  year, 
1807,  in  three  volumes,  his  observations  and  notes. 
Robin  was  not  a  botanist,  nor  indeed  is  there  any  thing 
in  his  work  that  would  indicate  more  than  a  passing 
acquaintance  with  natural  objects.  Nevertheless  he  lists, 
in  an  appendix,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  311-525,  Flore  Louisianiase, 
a  number  of  common  plants,  many  of  which  could  not 
possibly  have  been  correctly  identified.  From  the  list  so 
made  up  "was  fabricated,  by  Rafinesque,  a  fancy  work 
called  Florula  Ludoviciana^.  It  may  be  further  said 
that  Rafinesque  was  never  within  a  thousand  miles  of 
the  region  included  in  this  volume.  The  book  must  go 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  150 

down  to  history  as  a  monument  to  an  uncontrolled 
love  of  genus-making.  It  marks  the  beginning  of  the 
period  of  the  decadence  of  the  influence  of  Rafinesque 
among  his  contemporaries.  I  know  of  but  one  copy 
in  Kentucky,  and  that  one  belongs  to  the  library  of 
the  late  Doctor  Robert  Peter,  of  Lexington. 

53.  Museum  of  Natural    Sciences.      15.    Introduction    to    the    Ich 

thyology  of  the  United  States.  (American  Monthly  Magazine 
and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  pp.  202,  203.  1818.) 

54.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     16.   Descriptions  of  two  new 

genera  of  North  American  Fishes,  Opsanus  and  Notropis. 
(American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No. 
3,  pp.  203,  204.  1818.) 

55.  [Museum   of   Natural    Sciences.]      17.    Second  Decade    of    new 

North-American  Fishes.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  pp.  204-206.  1818.) 

56.  [Museum  of  Natural  Sciences.]     18.  Third  Decade  of  new  Spe 

cies  of  North-American  Plants.  (American  Monthly  Magazine 
and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  pp.  206,  207.  1818.) 

57.  [Review  of]  Pursh's  "  Flora  Americana  Septentrionalis".   (Amer 

ican  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  II,  No.  3, 
pp.  170-176.  Also,  in  continuation,  Vol.  II,  No.  4,  pp.  265-269. 
1818.) 

58.  [Review    of]     Bigelow's    "  Florula     Bostoniensis ".      (American 

Monthly   Magazine  and   Critical  Review,  Vol.   II,   No.   5,  pp. 
342-344.     1818.) 

59.  Second  Memoir  on  the  Genus  Aphis,  containing  the  Description 

of  24  new  American  Species.  By  C.  S.  Railnesque.  (American 
Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  i,  pp. 
15-18.  1818.) 


160  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

60.  [Review  of]  Elliott's  "  A  Sketch  of  the  Botany  of  South-Carolina 

and  Georgia".  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical 
Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No  2,  pp.  96-101.  1818.) 

61.  [Review  of]  Eaton's  "An  Index  to  the  Geology  of  the  Northern 

States,  with  a  transverse  Section  from  the  Catskill  Mountains 
to  the  Atlantic,  etc."  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical 
Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  3,  pp.  175-178.  1818.) 

62.  [Review  of]   Journal  of  the  Academy  of  Natural   Sciences   of 

Philadelphia.  Vol.  I,  Part  I,  &c.  (American  Monthly  Magazine 
and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  4,  pp.  269-274.  1818.) 

63.  Discoveries  in  Natural  History,  made  during  a  Journey  through 

the  Western  Region  of  the  United  States.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  5,  pp.  354-356.  1818.) 

This  is  a  letter  to  Samuel  L.  Mitchill,  President,  and 
the  other  members  of  the  New  York  Lyceum  of  Natural 
History,  and  was  dated  from  Louisville,  Kentucky,  July 
20,  1818. 

64.  Further  Discoveries  in  Natural  History,  made  during  a  Journey 

through  the  Western  Region  of  the  United  States.  (American 
Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  6,  pp. 
445-447.  1818.)  \Mnsculus  leucopus ;  M.  nigricans,  etcl\ 

That  part  of  this  paper  which  deals  with  the  descrip 
tions  of  new  bats  has  been  reproduced  in  the  Bulletin 
U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.  No.  43,  Appendix,  p.  183,  1893,  by  Doctor 
Harrison  Allen. 

65.  Discoveries  in  Natural  History  made  during  a  Journey  through 

the  Western  Region  of  the  United  States.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  IV,  No.  i,  pp.  39-42.  1818.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  161 

This  and  the  title  immediately  preceding  were  letters 
to  the  New  York  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  through 
Doctor  Mitchill. 

66.  General  Account  of  the  Discoveries  made  in  the  Zoology  of  the 

Western  States  in  1818.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and 
Critical  Review,  Vol.  IV,  No.  2,  p.  107.  1818.) 

67.  Description  of  three   new  genera   of   fluviatile   Fish,  Pomoxis, 

Sarchirus,  and  Kxoglossum.  By  C.  S.  Rafmesque.  Read  Dec. 
ist  and  8th.  (Journal  Academy  Natural  Sciences,  Philadelphia, 
Vol.  I,  Part  II,  pp.  417-422.  With  one  plate.  1818.) 

68.  A  Journal  of  the  Progress  of  Vegetation,  near  Philadelphia,  be 

tween  the  2oth  of  Ferbuary  and  the  2Oth  of  May,  1816,  with 
occasional  Zoological  Remarks.  (American  Journal  of  Science, 
Vol.  I,  ist  Series,  pp.  77-82.  New  York,  1818.) 

69.  Description  of  a  New  Species  of  North  American  Marten  ( Mus- 

tela  vulpina).  (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  I, 
pp.  82-84.  1818.) 

This  paper  was  republished  in  The  Philosophical 
Magazine  and  Journal,  London,  Vol.  LIU,  pp.  411,  412. 
1819. 

70.  Natural  History  of  the  Scytalus  Cupreus,  or  Copper-head  Snake. 

(American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  I,  pp.  84-86.    1818.) 

71.  Descriptions  of  Species  of  Sponges  observed  on  the  Shores  of 

Long-Island.  (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  I, 
No.  2,  pp.  149-151.  1818.) 

72.  Memoir   on   the   Xanthium   maculatum,  a    New    Species    from 

the  State  of  New- York,  &c.  (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist 
Series,  Vol.  I,  No.  2,  pp.  151-153.  1818.) 

21 


1 62  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

73.  Description  of  a  New  Genus  of  North  American  Fresh-water 

Fish,  Exoglossum.  (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  155,  156.  1818.) 

74.  New  Genus  of  American  Grasses,  (Diploea  barbatd).     (American 

Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  I,  pp.  252-254.     1818.) 

75.  Prodrome  de  70  nouveaux  Genres  D'Animaux  decouverts  dans 

1'interieur  des  Etats-Unis  D'Amerique,  durant  1'annee  1818. 
(Jour,  de  Physique,  de  Chemie  et  D'Histoire  Naturelle,  et  des 
Arts,  etc.  Paris.  Tome  88.  1819.  pp.  417-429.  See  also,  Isis, 
Litterarischer  Anzeiger,  pp.  236-244.  Jena,  1820.) 

76.  Description   and  Natural   Classification  of  the  Genus   Floerka. 

(American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol  I,  No.  4,  p.  373. 
1819.) 

77.  Descriptions  of  Three  new  Genera  of  Plants,  from  the  State  of 

New  York.  Cylactis,  Nemopanthus,  and  Polanisia.  (Amer 
ican  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  I,  No.  4,  p.  377.  1819.) 

78.  Notice  on  the  Myosurus  Shortii.     (American  Journal  of  Science, 

ist  Series,  Vol.  I,  No.  4,  p.  379.     1819.) 

79.  Thoughts  on  Atmospheric  Dust.     (American  Journal  of  Science, 

ist  Series,  Vol.  I,  No.  4,  pp.  397-400.     1819.) 

80.  [Review  of]  Nuttall's  "The  Genera  of  North-American  Plants, 

etc."  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol. 
IV,  No.  3,  pp.  184-196.  1819.) 

81.  Result  of  the  Botanical  Discoveries  made  in  the  Western  States 

by  C.  S.  Rafinesque.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical 
Review,  Vol.  IV,  No.  3,  pp.  207,  208.  1819.) 

82.  Description  of  a  New  Genus  of  Fluviatile  Bivalve  Shell,  of  the 

family  of  Brachiopodes;  Notrema  Fissurella;  in  a  letter  to  Dr. 
S.  Iy.  Mitchill,  Prof,  of  Nat.  Hist.,  &c,  New- York.  (American 
Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  IV,  No.  5,  p.  356. 
1819.) 


Constantine  Samitel  Rafinesque.  163 

83.  On  some  new  Genera  of  American  Plants.     Extract  of  the  third 

Letter  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  to  Mr.  Decandolle,  Professor  of 
Botany  at  Genevra,  and  author  of  the  new  Species  Plantarum, 
dated  Philadelphia,  25th  Feb.,  1819.  Translated  from  the 
French.  (American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review, 
Vol.  IV,  No.  5,  pp.  356-358.  1819.) 

84.  On  the  introduction  and  cultivation  of  the  Tea-Plant,  in  three 

Letters  from  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Esq.  to  the  Hon.  S.  L.  Mitchill. 
Read  before  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  Feb.  8,  1819. 
(American  Monthly  Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  IV,  No. 
5,  pp.  382-384.  1819.) 

85.  Letter  to  the  Editor  of  the  American  Monthly  Magazine,  on  the 

Date-Tree,  or  Palm.  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque.  (American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  Critical  Review,  Vol.  IV,  No.  6,  pp.  465-467. 
1819.) 

86.  Prodrome  des  nouveaux  Genres  de  Plantes  observes  en  1817  et 

1818  dans  I'iiiterieur  des  fitats-Unis  d'Amerique.  Par  C.  S. 
Rafinesque,  Professeur  de  Botauique  et  d'Histoire  naturelle 
dans  1'Universite  de  Lexington.  (Journal  de  Physique,  etc., 
Vol.  LXXXIX,  pp.  96-107.  Paris.  Aout,  1819.) 

Describes  fifty  genera.    Contribution  dated  from  Phil 
adelphia,  May  i,  1819. 

87.  Descriptions  De  onze  Genres  nouveaux  de  Mollusques,  publics 

en  1814.    (Jour,  de  Physique,  etc.    Paris.   Tome  89,  p.  150.    1819.) 

88.  Remarques  critiques  et  synonymiques  sur  les  Ouvrages  de  MM. 

Pursh,  Nuttall,  Elliott,  Jorrey,  [Torrey],  Barton,  Muhlenburg, 
etc.,  sur  les  Plantes  des  Etats  Unis.  (Journal  de  Physique,  etc., 
Vol.  LXXXIX,  pp.  256-261.  Paris.  Octobre,  1819.  Ninety 
items.  Dated  Philadelphia,  May  i,  1819.) 


164  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

89.  On  the  different  Lightnings  observed  in  the  western  states,  by 
C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Professor  of  Botany  and  Natural  History  in 
Transylvania  University.  ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 
Magazine,  Vol.  I,  No.  i,  August,  pp.  60-63.  Lexington,  1819.) 

This  paper  describes  ten  species  or  varieties  of  light 
ning  in  a  style  which  some  suppose  closely  approaches 
the  formal  modes  of  plant  description.  It  has  subjected 
its  unfortunate  author  to  remarkably  severe  criticisms, 
but  mainly  from  those  who  never  have  seen  the  paper 
itself.  I  have  read  the  paper  with  the  greatest  care, 
more  than  once,  but  I  fail  to  find  in  it  more  than  an 
attempt  to  describe  the  various  phenomena  connected 
with  electrical  displays.  In  no  case  has  a  name  of  a 
binomial  character,  either  Latinized  or  not,  been  bestowed 
upon  a  single  variety  said  by  Rafinesque  to  have  been 
observed  by  him.  So  many  misleading  things  have  been 
said  about  this  paper,  some  of  them  copied  by  interested 
persons,  that  justice  requires  the  truth  to  be  told.  I 
have  seen  no  mention  of  this  paper  by  the  critics  save 
where  introduced  by  the  explanatory  remark,  "said  to 
have  described  in  natural  history  style".  It  is  time 
this  fiction  was  destroyed.  Nearly  all  the  remarks 
which  Rafinesque  makes  have  reference  solely  to  the 
direction  of  the  discharge  and  to  the  character  of  the 
spark,  whether  deflected  or  straight  or  bent  or  forked. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  ^^ 

It  is  not  claimed  by  the  compiler  that  the  paper  has 
either  scientific  merit  or  value,  but  that  it  has  been  used 
unfairly  in  detraction. 

90.  Botany  of  Kentucky ;   On  its  Principal  Features.     ( Western  Re 

view  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  August,  Vol.  I,  No.  i,  pp. 
92-95.  1819.) 

A  number  of   typographical  errors   occurring  in  this 
paper  are  corrected  in  an  erratum  on  p.  128. 

91.  On  the  Salivation  of  Horses.     (Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  October,  Vol.  I,  No.  3,  pp.  182-184.     1819.) 

92.  On  the  Oil  of  Pumpkin  Seeds.     [An  open  letter  to  Dr.  C.  L. 

Seeger,  Northampton,  Mass.]  (  Western  Review  and  Miscellane 
ous  Magazine,  October,  Vol.  I,  No.  3,  pp.  185,  186.  1819.) 

93.  Descriptions  of  Two  New  Shrubs  from  Kentucky,  etc.     ( Western 

Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  November,  Vol.  I,  No.  4, 
pp.  228-230.  1819.)  \Betula  rupestris,  Cornus  obliqua^\ 

94.  Descriptions  of  Two  New  Species  of  Foxes  from  the  Western 

States.  ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  I, 
November,  pp.  234-236.  1819.)  [Cams  melanurus,  C.  leucurus.] 

95.  Natural  History  of  the  Fishes  of  the  Ohio  River  and  its  Trib 

utary  Streams.  (  Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  305-313,  December.  1819.)  [Introduction  to  the 
Fishes  and  first  part  of  the  description  of  the  Ohio  river.] 

This  paper  with  the  several  same  titles  following 
were  collected  and  published  in  a  separate  volume  in 
1820.  See  the  Ichthyologia  Ohiensis. 


1 66  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

96.  On  A  Remarkable  Ancient  Monument  near  Lexington.    (  Western 

Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  I,  No.  5,  pp.  313,  314, 
December.     1819.) 

97.  Description  of  the  Silures,  or  Catfishes  of  the  River  Ohio.    {Quar 

terly  Journal  of  Science,  Literature,  and  Arts,  Royal  Institution, 
London,  Vol.  IX,  p.  48.     1820.) 

98.  Description  of  the  River  Ohio.    ( Western  Review  and  Miscellane 

ous  Magazine,  Vol.  I,  No.  6,  pp.  361-377,  January.     1820.) 

This  paper  is  a  continuation  of  the  Introduction  to 
the  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.  On  page  368  the  de 
scriptions  of  the  fishes  begin. 

99.  La  Divinite :  Ode  Sacree,  A  Echo  et  Chorus  Responsif.     ( West 

ern  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  I,  January,  pp. 
383,  384.     1820.) 

100.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.  ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 
Magazine,  Vol.  II,  February,  pp.  49-57.  1820.) 

IOT.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 
ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.  ( Western  Review  and  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  February,  pp.  57,  58.  1820.) 

102.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 

ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.     ( Western  Review  and  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  March,  pp.  122,  123.     1820.) 

103.  Fragments  D'un  Poeme  sur  la  Femme.     ( Western  Review  and 

Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  March,  pp.  127,  128.     1820.) 

104.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.     ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  pp.  169-177,  April.     1820.) 

105.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 

ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.     (Western  Review  and  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  April,  pp.  185,  186.     1820.) 


Constantine  Samiiel  Rafinesque.  ^ 

106.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.     ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  Vol.  II,  No.  4,  pp.  235-242,  May.     1820.) 

107.  Description  of  the  Ancient  Town  near  Lexington.     In  a  letter 

to  Caleb  Atwater,  of  Circleville,  Ohio.  ( Western  Review  and 
Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  No.  4,  pp.  242-244,  May.  1820.) 

108.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.     ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  Vol.  II,  No.  5,  pp.  299-307,  June.     1820.) 

109.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  L/ex- 

ington  b}'  Professor  Rafinesque.  April  and  May.  ( Western 
Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  June,  pp.  310-312. 
1820.) 

no.  Remarks  on  the  Geology  of  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi. 
(Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  July, 
pp.  321,  322.  1820.)  \Discomphites,  in  foot-note  on  page  326.*] 

This  is  a  note  prefacing  a  geological  paper  by  J.  D. 
Clifford,  who  had  published  a  similar  paper  in  an  earlier 
number,  but  had  died  before  the  appearance  of  a  second 
one. 

in.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.  ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 
Magazine,  Vol.  II,  July,  pp.  355-363.  1820.) 

112.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 

ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.  ( Western  Review  a?id  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  II,  July,  pp.  374,  375.  1820.) 

113.  On    the    Upper    Alleghawian    Monuments    of   North    Elkhorn 

Creek,  Fayette  county,  Kentucky.  [Letter  to  Caleb  Atwater, 
Circleville,  Ohio,  dated  July  12,  1820.]  (Western  Review  and 
Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  August,  pp.  53-57.  1820.) 

*The  foot-note,  page  326,  proposes  Discomphites  for  Maclurite. 


1 68  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

114.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 

ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.  ( Western  Review  and  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  September,  pp.  124-127.  1820.) 
[This  title  includes  the  observations  for  July,  August,  Sep 
tember,  1820.] 

These  records  are  the  very  first  ever  made  in  Kentucky 
in  a  more  or  less  scientific  and  careful  manner.  Their 
examination  shows  them  to  have  been  kept  in  the  true 
method  of  more  recent  times.  Many  of  them  contain 
notes  on  the  flowering  of  plants  and  similar  matters. 

115.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.     (Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  October,  pp.  165-173.     1820.) 

1 1 6.  Fishes  of  the  River  Ohio.     ( Western  Review  and  Miscellaneous 

Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  November,  pp.  244-252.     1820.) 

This  paper  concludes  the  series  devoted  to  the  fishes, 
which  was  separately  published  from  oversheets,  with 
the  title  next  following: 

ii7.*Ichthyologia  Ohiensis  |  or  |  Natural  History  |  of  |  the  Fishes 
Inhabiting  the  |  River  Ohio  |  and  its  Tributary  Streams,  j 
Preceded  by  a  Physical  Description  of  the  Ohio  and  its 

Branches.  | |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Professor  of  Botany 

and  Natural  History  in  Transylvania  University,  etc,  etc.  | 
Lexington,  Kentucky :  |  printed  for  the  author  |  By  W.  G. 
Hunt.  |  (Price  one  dollar.)  |  -  -  |  1820.  (8vo,  pp.  1-90.) 

This  little  work,  which  is  now  very  rare,  has  been 
the  cause  of  much  misunderstanding  among  naturalists 

*:  For  full  title  see  p.  91. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 

who  have  devoted  themselves  to  fishes.  It  is  from 
the  same  type  as  the  several  papers  above  enumerated, 
and  was  issued  in  a  very  small  edition. 

118.  Prodrome  d'une  Monographic  des  Rosiers  de  I'Amerique  Septen- 

trionale,  contenant  la  description  de  quinze  especes  nouvelles 
et  vingt  varieties.  (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques 
[Bruxelles],  Tome  V,  pp.  210-220.  1820.) 

119.  Sur  le  Genre  Houstonia  et  Description  de  Plusieurs  Especes 

Nouvelles.  (Annales  Generales  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Brux 
elles],  Tome  V,  pp.  224-227.  1820.) 

120.  The  Western  Minerva,  or  American  Annals  of  Knowledge  and 

Literature;  a  Quarterly  Journal  to  be  published  in  Lexing 
ton,  Kentucky.  Un  peu  de  tout.  Prospectus.  (Kentucky  Re 
porter,  October  16,  1820.) 

This  is  the  title  of  a  journal,  planned  by  Rafinesque, 
of  which  the  first  number  was  published  in  January, 
1821.  Of  the  edition,  the  size  of  which  is  unknown, 
Rafinesque  saved  only  three  copies.  The  printer  refused 
him  the  remainder  of  the  edition  without  payment,  and 
the  whole,  with  the  exception  of  the  three  copies  secured 
by  Rafinesque,  was  destroyed.  Later,  in  one  of  his  publi 
cations,  Rafinesque  advertises  one  of  these  for  sale,  at 
a  valuation  of  five  dollars,  remarking  that  it  was  "a 
unique  copy."  For  several  weeks  the  Kentucky  Reporter 
had  published  a  column  advertisement  of  this  proposed 


170  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

journal,  which  was  a  marvel  of  promise.  A  list  of  some 
forty-four  articles  "  already  prepared"  and  destined  for 
publication  in  the  new  journal  fills  about  one  fourth 
of  the  space.  Of  them  the  following  titles  may  stand 
as  fair  examples:  "The  Morality  of  Truth";  " Theory 
of  the  Emanation  of  Beings";  "Theory  of  the  Intellect 
ual  World";  "The  Pandoceist,  or  thoughts  on  every 
thing";  "Enquiries  on  the  Heavenly  Spheres";  "The 
Harmony  of  the  Worlds";  "Descriptions  of  New  Ani 
mals  and  Plants";  "Letters  on  the  Antiquities  of  Ken 
tucky";  "The  Chemical  Art  of  Making  sugar  with 
wood";  "Description  of  100  Modes  of  Grafting  Fruit 
Trees";  "New  Treatment  of  Consumption";  "New 
Theory  of  Love  or  the  harmonics  of  Sympathy";  "On 
the  Infinite  Calculation  of  Space  and  Time",  etc.,  etc. 
It  is  really  fortunate  that  the  journal  failed  to  secure 
subscribers!  The  Kentucky  Reporter  of  January  28,  1821, 
has  a  notice  that  "the  publication  of  the  Journal  is 
suspended  if  not  abandoned.  Hereafter,  should  a  better 
subscription  list  be  procured,  and  arrangements  more 
suitable  to  the  success  of  such  a  work,  be  made  by  the 
editors,  due  notice  will  be  given.  In  the  meantime  those 
who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  in  advance  shall  have 
them  refunded."  This  "Western  Minerva"  should  not 
be  confounded  with  the  literary  journal  of  similar  name, 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  . 

started   in   Cincinnati,  in   1826,  by  Francis  and  William 
D.  Gallagher. 

121.  Prodrome  d'une  monographic  de  Turbinolies   fossiles  du  Ken 

tucky.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles], 
Tome  V,  pp.  231-235.     1820.) 

This  paper  was  explanatory  of  a  joint  work  to  be 
undertaken  in  conjunction  with  J.  D.  Clifford,  whose 
death  appears  to  have  been  the  chief  cause  of  its  aban 
donment.  It  is  one  of  the  two  joint  titles  known  to 
me  in  connection  with  Rafinesque's  writings. 

122.  Monographic  des  Coquilles  Bivalves  Fluviatiles  de  la  Riviere 

Ohio,   Contenant    douze    Genres    et    soixante    huit   Especes. 
(Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome 

V,  Pt.  13,  pp.  287-322.     1820.) 

This  work  was  republished  in  1845,  with  three  plates, 
in  Chenu's  Bibliotheque  Conchyliologique,  Series  I, 
Tome  3,  8vo,  pp.  30,  Paris.  It  also  formed  the  basis 
of  Poulson's  translation  mentioned  below,  which  was 
published,  without  the  plates,  in  1832. 

123.  Remarques  sur  les  rapports  naturels  des  genres  Viscum,  Samo- 

lus  et  Viburnum.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques 
[Bruxelles],  Tome,  V,  pp.  348-351.     1820.) 

124.  Tableau  Analytique   des  Ordres  Naturelles   families  naturelles 

et  genres,  de  la   classe   endogynie  sous-classe  corisautherie. 
(Annales  Generates  des   Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome 

VI,  pp.  76-89.     1820.) 


172  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

125.  Remarques  sur  le  Genre  Eustachya,  avec  une  Nouvelle  espece. 

(Annales   Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome 
VI,  pp.  97,  98.     1820.) 

1 26.  Sur  les  animaux  philostomes  et  Porostomes.    (Annales  Generales 

des   Sciences  Physiques    [Bruxelles],    Tome   VI,    pp.    359-364. 
1820.) 

127.  Remarques  sur  quelques  Erreurs  en  Ichthyologiques.     (Annales 

Generales  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VI,  p.  369. 
1820.) 

128.  Remarques   sur   le   genre  Jeflfersonia.     (Annales    Generales   des 

Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  18.     1820.) 

129.  Sur  le  nouveau  Genre  Enemion.    (Annales  Generales  des  Sciences 

Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  18.     1820.) 

130.  Nouveau    caractere  de  d'Irillium.     (Annales   Generales  des  Sci 

ences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  19.     1820.) 

131.  Sur  quelques  Animaux  hybrides.     (Annales   Generales  des  Sci 

ences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  pp.  85-88.     1820.) 

This  impossible  account  was  founded  solely  on  state 
ments  made  by  others,  some  of  whom  were  neither 
intelligent  nor  honest.  Rafinesque  was  victimized. 

132.  Nomenclature  Synandrique,  ou  descriptions  des  differens  modes 

d'union  parmi  les  etamines.     (Annales  Generales  des  Sciences 
Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  pp.  101-107.     1820.) 

133.  Sur  les  genres  Tridynia,  Steironema,  Lysimachia,  etc.     (Ann. 

Generales  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  192. 
1820.) 

134.  Sur    le    genre    Manis,   et    description    d'une    nouvelle    espece, 

Manis    leonyx.       (Annales    Generales    des    Sciences    Physiques 
[Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  pp.  214,  215.     1820.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesqne.  173 

135.  Genres   Chetyson,  Stylyphus  etc.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sci 

ences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  387.     1820.) 

136.  Sur  les  Explosions  orageuses.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences 

Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  388.     1820.) 

137.  Alluvions  fluviatiles.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques 

[Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  388.     1820.) 

138.  Sur  le  Knops-Hills  du  Kentuky.     (Annales  Generates  des  Sci 

ences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VII,  p.  388.     1820.) 

139.  Description   d'une  Araignee   qui  constitue  un  Genre   nouveau 

(Tessaops).  (Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques  [Brux 
elles],  Tome  VIII,  p.  88.  1821.) 

140.  Remarques  sur  les  Convolulacees,  etc.     (Annales  Generates  des 

Sciences  Physiques  [Bruxelles],  Tome  VIII,  pp.  268-272.    1821.) 

141.  Ueber  eilf  neue  Sippen  von  Mollusken,  aufgestellt  1814.    (fsts. 

Litter  arise  her  Anzeiger,  pp.  244-247.     Jena.     1820.) 

142.  Enquiries  on  the  Galaxy  or  Milky- Way.     ( Western  Review  and 

Miscellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  September,  pp.  117-124. 
1820.) 

This  paper  is  introduced  by  general  astronomic   re 
marks. 

143.  Annals  of  Nature  |  or  |  Annual  Synopsis  |  of  New  Genera  and 

Species  of  Animals,  Plants,  &c.  |  discovered  in  North  Amer 
ica:  |  |  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Professor  of  Botany  and 

Natural  History  in  Transylvania  University,  at  Lexington  | 
in  Kentucky,  and  Member  of  several  Learned  Societies  in 
the  j  United  States  and  in  Europe,  &c.  | |  Exertion  un 
folds  and  increases  knowledge.  | |  First  Annual  Number, 

for  1820.  |  -  -  |  Dedicated  to  Dr.  W.  E.  Leach,  |  of  the  British 
Museum,  London.  [Text  follows.]  (8vo,  pp.  16.  1820.) 


174  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  portion  of  this  paper  which  deals  with  certain 
new  bats  is  quoted  in  full  by  Doctor  Harrison  Allen  in 
his  Monograph  of  North  American  Bats,  Bulletin  U.  S. 
Nat.  Mus.,  No.  43,  1893,  p.  184. 

144.  Sur  Plusiers   Nouveaux  genres    de    Mollusques.      (Journal  de 

Physique,  de  la  Chimie,  etc.,  Paris,  Tome  LXXXVIII,  p.  417. 
1820.) 

145.  Monthly  Results  of  Meteorological  Observations,  made  in  Lex 

ington  by  Professor  Rafinesque.     (Western  Review  and  Mis 
cellaneous  Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  January,  p.  375.     1821.) 

This  title  includes  the  Observations  for  the  months 
of  October,  November,  and  December,  1820. 

146.  Description  of  a  Fossil  Medusa,  forming  a  new  Genus,  Trian- 

isites  cliffordi.     (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol. 
Ill,  pp.  285-287.     1821.) 

147.  Beschreibung  einer  fossilen  Medusa,  die  eine  neue  Sippe  bildet : 

Trianisites.    (fszs,  Heft  7,  p.  749.    Jena.     1823.    Litter arischer 
Anzeiger^) 

This  is  a  translation  of  the  article  in  Silliman's 
Journal,  Vol.  Ill,  2,  1821. 

148.  Clio  No.  I.     Ancient  History  of  North  America.     (The  Cincin 

nati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I,  No.  8,  February  21,  pp.  59,  60. 
1824.) 

149.  Neophyton  No.  I.     On  a  new  tree  of  Kentucky  forming  a  new 

genus  Clandrastus  Fragrans.     (The   Cincinnati  Literary   Ga 
zette,  Vol.  I,  No.  8,  February  21,  p.  60.     1824.) 


Constanttne  Samuel  Rafinesque.  175 

150.  Neophyton    No.    II.     On    the    Genus    Collinsia,   and  two   new 

species  of  it.     (The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I,  No.  n, 
March  13,  p.  84.     1824.) 

151.  Clio  No.  II.     Ancient  History  of  America.     Monuments  of  the 

State  of  Ohio.     (The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I,  No. 
14,  April  3,  pp.  107,  108.     1824.) 

152.  Clio   No.   III.     Ancient    History   of  North   America.     On   the 

Mexican  Nations.     (The   Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I, 
No.  19,  May  8,  pp.  146,  147.     1824.) 

153.  Clio   No.   III. —  Concluded.     (The   Cincinnati  Literary    Gazette, 

Vol.  I,  No.  20,  May  15,  p.  155.     1824.) 

154.  Clio   No.   IV.     Ancient   History  of  N.  A.      Biography  of  the 

American  Solomon.     (The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I, 
No.  22,  May  29,  p.  170.     1824.) 

155.  Clio  No.  V.     To  the  Editor  of  the  Literary  Gazette.    On  Naza- 

hual,  the  Nabijos  and  Comanchees.     (The  Cincinnati.  Literary 
Gazette,  Vol.  I,  No.  26,  June  26,  p.  202.     1824.) 

This  article  of  two  columns,  addressed  to  the  editor 
of  the  Gazette,  gives  the  authorities  for  facts  mentioned 
in  Clio  No.  IV,  which  had  been  attacked  by  Burnett,  as 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  sketch  of  Rafinesque's  life. 
Doctor  Venable  says:*  "It  is  written  without  acrimony 
and  states  that  '  although  the  demand '  (in  Burnett's  card) 
'was  anonymous  and  indecorous,  therefore  unworthy  of 
notice:  since  it  has  been  admitted  into  your  pages,  it 
requires  a  short  notice'". 

*  In  lit.,  August  15,  1894. 


176  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

156.  [Review  of]  Dr.  Martin  Ruter's  Hebrew  Grammar.     (The  Cin 

cinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  I,  No.  21,  May  22,  pp.  161,  162. 
1824.) 

This  review  is  signed  only  with  initials,  and  is  dated 
from  Transylvania  University.  It  is  curious  and  inter 
esting  as  showing  something  of  Rafinesque's  linguistic 
attainments.  Doctor  W.  H.  Venable  gives  a  brief  history 
of  this  book  of  Ruter  in  his  "  Beginnings  of  Literary 
Culture  in  the  Ohio  Valley",  p.  194. 

157.  Neophyton  No.  III.     On  a  new  medical  plant,  Prenanthes  opi- 

orina,  and  a  new  kind  of  opium  —  opiorine.     (The  Cincinnati 
Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  II,  No.  2,  July  10,  pp.  10,  n.     1824.) 

This  paper  was  read  before  the  Kentucky  Institute, 
of  which  mention  has  been  made,  February  n,  1824. 

158.  Neophyton  No.  IV.     On  the  new  genus  Lophactis.     (The  Cin 

cinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  II,  No.  4,  July  24,  p.  28.     1824.) 

159.  Soiniology,  ou  les  lois  de  la  Nomenclature  et  de  la  Classification 

des  Vegetaux  et  des  Animaux.     (1824.) 

I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  any  more  definite  in 
formation  either  as  to  form  or  place  of  publication. 

1 60.  Ancient  Annals  of  Kentucky;  or  Introduction  to  the  History 

and  Antiquities  of  the  State  of  Kentucky.     (Marshall's  His 
tory  of  Kentucky,  Vol.  I,  pp.  i-ix-47.     1824.) 

Oversheets  of  this  work,  or  chapter,  were  collated  and 
published  under  the  title  given  next  below.  On  page  3 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  177 

is  a  curious,  though  useless,  ethnological  and  philological 
table  of  the  primitive  nations  and  languages.  Four 
words  (Heaven,  Man,  Land,  and  Water,)  were  used  to 
form  this  table,  which  possesses  no  real  linguistic  value. 

161.  Ancient  History,  |  or  |  Annals  of  Kentucky;  |  with  a  Survey  of 

the  Ancient  Monuments  |  of  North  America  |  And  a  Tabular 
View  of  the  Principal  Languages  and  Primi-  |  tive  Nations 
of  the  Whole  Earth.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  | 
Prof,  in  Tran.  Uni.  |  Sup't.  of  the  Trans.  Bot.  Garden  |  Sec'y 
of  the  |  Kent  Institute,  and  member  of  the  following  Socie 
ties:  |  Imp.  Nat.  Cur.  of  Bonn:  Lit.  &  Phil.  Soc.  of  New 
York,  |  Imp.  Econ.  Soc.  of  Vienna,  Lye.  of  Nat.  hist,  of  New 
York,  |  R.  Inst.  of  Sciences  of  Naples,  |  Ac.  of  Nat.  Sc.  of 
Philadelphia,  |  It.  Ac.  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  |  Antiq.  Soc.  of 
Tennessee,  |  Lin.  Soc.  of  Paris;  Med.  Soc.  of  Cincinnati, 
Amer.  Antiq.  Soc. ;  Med.  Soc.  of  Lexington,  |  Histor.  Soc.  of 
New  York,  &c,  &c,  &c,  |  (Numquam  otiosus.)  | |  Frank 
fort,  Kentucky.  |  =  =  \  Printed  for  the  Author.  |  =  |  1824. 
(8vo,  pp.  1-39  [i].) 

This  work  consists  of  the  oversheets  of  the  article 
used  by  Marshall  in  his  "History  of  Kentucky".  The 
second  page  contains  a  dedication  of  the  work  to  "Alex 
ander  de  Humboldt,  in  token  of  the  high  value  set  upon 
his  researches  in  America". 

162.  Clio   No.  VI.      On   the   Panis   Language    and   Dialects.      (The 

Cincinnati  Literary    Gazette,  Vol.   II,  No.  7,  August   14,  pp. 
50,  51.     1824.) 

163.  Clio  No.  VII.     On  the  White -Tribes  of  America,  etc.     (The 

Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.   II,  No.   23,  December   24, 
p.  178.     1824.)  23 


'  Y^       er  rut 

UNIVEK8ITY 


178  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

164.  Clio    No.   VIII.      On    erroneous    criticism.      (The    Cincinnati 

Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  12,  March  19,  pp.  89,  90. 
1825.) 

This  article  constitutes  a  reply  to  a  rather  unfavor 
able  review,  conceived  in  a  semi-humorous  vein,  of  Raf- 
inesque's  "Ancient  Monuments  and  Ancient  History  of 
Kentucky".  The  review  to  which  it  is  a  reply  may  be 
found  in  the  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  II,  Decem 
ber  25,  1824,  PP.  203,  204. 

165.  Neogenyton,  or  indications  of  Sixty-six  new  genera  of  plants 

of  North  America.  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Professor  of  Botany 
and  Natural  History  in  the  University  of  Lexington  in  Ken 
tucky.  Dedicated  to  Professor  Decandoile  of  Geneva.  [Lex 
ington?]  (8vo,  pp.  4.  1825.) 

Rafinesque  says,  at  the  beginning  of  this  brochure, 
"Some  of  these  plants  were  indicated  last  year,  1824,  in 
the  Catalogue  of  the  Botanic  Garden  which  I  have  tried 
in  vain  to  establish  in  Lexington". 

1 66.  Useful  Inventions.     (The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  Ill, 

No.  9,  February  26,  pp.  66,  67.     1825.) 

167.  Outlines  |  of  a  General   History  of  America  |  By  C.  S.  Rafin 

esque  |  =  |  Second  Chronological  Part  |  |  Colunal  An 
nals  |  of  the  |  Antillary  or  West  Indies  |  Islands  |  also  Guyana 
and  Brazil  |  besides  the  Boreal  and  Austral  Islands  |  or  the 
whole  of  America  |  except  |  Spanish  America  and  North 

America  | |  From  1492  to  1775.  |  Begun  in  Philadelphia, 

in  October  1827. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  179 

This  is  an  unpublished  manuscript,  forming  a  book 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty  pages,  all  in  the  handwriting 
of  Rafinesque.  The  title  was  kindly  transcribed  by 
Doctor  Goode.  The  work  is  preserved  in  the  Library 
of  Congress,  at  Washington,  and  is  one  of  several  man 
uscripts  left  by  him.  It  is  one  of  Rafinesque's  general 
historical  works  projected  but  never  completed. 

168.  Medical  Flora;  |  or  Manual  |  of  the  [  Medical  Botany  |  of  the 
United  States  |  of  |  North  America.  |  Containing  |  a  selection 
of  above  100  figures  and  descriptions  of  Medi  |  cal  Plants, 
with  their  names,  qualities,  properties,  |  history,  &c, :  |  and 
notes  or  remarks  on  nearly  |  500  equivalent  substitutes.  |  In 
two  volumes.  |  -  -  |  Volume  the  first ;  |  A=H  |  with  52 
plates.  | |  Medical  Plants  are  compound  Medicines  pre 
pared  by  the  hands  of  Nature,  &c.  Med.  Princ.  31.  |  =  |  By 
C.  S.  Rafinesque  A.  M.  Ph.  D.  |  *  *  *  |  =  =  |  Philadelphia : 
Printed  &  Published  by  Atkinson  &  Alexander.  No.  112 
Chestnut  Street.  1828.  [Vol.  II.  1830.] 
Vol.  I,  pp.  (4)  i-xii,  1-268,  pll  1-52.  (1828) 
Vol.  II  (Volume  the  Second  with  48  plates)  Phila.  Published 
by  Samuel  C.  Atkinson  | |  ( 1830).  pp.  1-276.  pll  53-100. 

This  work,  which  possesses  real  value,  was  dedicated 
to  Doctor  Torrey,  Doctor  Short,  and  Stephen  Elliott,  Esq. 
The  matter  is  alphabetically  arranged,  and  embellished 
with  plates  which  are  in  outline  and  printed  in  green 
ink.  A  .considerable  number  of  copies  were  purchased 
by  individuals  at  the  auction  sale  of  the  effects  of  Raf 
inesque. 


i8o  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

169.  Price  One  Dollar.  |  The  Palmist;  |  or,  |  Introduction  to  the  Art 
of  Curing  and  Preventing  the  |  Consumption  |  or  |  Chronic 
Phthisis.  |  A  Medical  Essay,  including  a  new  and  better 
Distinc-  |  tion  of  its  Causes,  Kinds,  Remedies,  Diets,  |  and 
other  Peculiarities.  |  |  The  Consumption  is  not  an  in 
curable  disease;  but  its  reme-  |  dies  are  to  be  chiefly  con 
veyed  to  the  lungs  by  breathing  |  or  inhalation — no.  | 

|  By  Prof.  Rafinesque,  Ph.  D.  &  Pulmist.  |  Professor  of  Prac 
tical  and  Medical  Botany,  Natural  and  Civil  |  History,  &c, 
&c.  |  Author  of  the  Manual  of  Medical  Botany  of  the  United 
States,  the  |  Analysis  of  Nature,  and  50  other  works  or 
phamphlets.  |  Member  of  the  Medical  Societies  of  Cincinnati 
and  L,exington ;  the  Philadelphia  |  Society  and  Lyceum  of 
New  York ;  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadel-  | 
phia ;  the  American  Antiquity  Society  of  Worcester  and 
Nashville;  the  Kentucky  |  Institute,  &c;  and  of  several 
learned  Societies  of  Europe,  in  Paris,  Bruxelles,  Vi-  |  enna, 

Bonn,    Florence,  Naples,  &c.  |  |  Philadelphia:   |  Printed 

for  the   Author,   |  By  C.  Alexander,   112   Chestnut   street.    I 
-  |  1829.     (8vo,  pp.  72,  i  fig.) 

This  curious  work  has  no  scientific  medical  value. 
During  these  years,  which  were  among  the  saddest  of 
the  last  decade  of  our  author's  life,  he  engaged  in  the 
practices  that  now  commonly  attach  to  medical  charla 
tans.  Two  extracts  from  this  book  will  serve  to  show 
that  his  methods  were  not  at  all  unlike  those  adopted 
at  the  present  day.  On  page  8  he  writes:  "My  dislike 
of  every  appearance  of  empiricism,  and  my  wish  to  avoid 
censure,  induced  me  to  conceal  myself  under  the  name 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


of  MEDICUS;  and  thus  for  two  years  I  have  often  prac 
ticed,  with  some  restraint,  and  under  many  disadvan 
tages".  And,  again,  page  69,  "I  have  avoided  to  publish 
venal  certificates  and  recommendations  of  its  [pulmel] 
effects,  in  order  to  shun  the  appearance  of  empiricism. 
I  have  merely  published  in  the  Saturday  Evening  Post, 
the  medical  statements  of  six  or  seven  cases  and  cures, 
and  I  now  add  here  those  of  as  many  more,  in  as  brief 
form  as  possible".  The  quotation  from  page  no  on 
the  title  page  indicates  an  understanding  of  the  "germ 
theory  of  disease"  quite  unusual  for  his  time. 

170.  Eight  Figures,  |  Twenty-five  Cents.  |  -  |  American  Manual  | 
of  the  |  Grape  Vines  |  and  the  |  Art  of  making  Wine:  |  in 
cluding  |  An  Account  of  62  Species  of  Vines,  with  nearly  300 
Varieties.  An  account  of  the  Principal  Wines,  Ame  \  rican 
and  Foreign.  Properties  and  uses  of  Wines  \  and  Grapes. 
Cultivation  of  Vines  in  America,  and  \  the  Art  to  make  good 
Wines.  \  With  8  figures  |  -  -  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M. 
Ph.  D.  |  Professor  of  Natural  History,  Practical  and  Medi-  | 
cal  Botany,  &c.  in  Philadelphia  ;  Member  of  |  twelve  learned 
societies  in  America  |  and  Europe;  Author  of  many  |  works, 
&c.  &c.  &c.  |  -  |  Let  every  Farmer  drink  his  own  Wine. 
\-  -  |  Philadelphia:  |  Printed  for  the  Author.  |  -  |  1830.  | 
(pp.  64,  and  one  page  "additions  to  this  manual";  2  plates 
with  8  figures  of  grape-leaves.) 

Bight  drawings  illustrate  this  work,  which  is  made 
up  of  oversheets  from  volume  two  of  the  Medical  Flora. 
It  comprises  the  whole  of  the  article  on  Vitis.  The 
cover  of  the  brochure  has  certain  additions  to  the  text. 


1 8a  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

171.  Enumeration  |  and  Account  of  some  remarkable  |  Natural  Ob 

jects  in  the  Cabinet  |  of  Professor  Rafinesque,  in  Philadel 
phia,  |  being  Animals,  Shells,  Plants  |  and  Fossils,  collected 
by  him  |  in  North  America,  between  |  1816-1831  |  by  C.  S. 
Rafinesque  |  Professor  of  historical  and  natural  sciences  | 
Philadelphia.  |  William  Sharpless,  Printer  |  No.  2  Decatur 
Street.  |  9  pll.  1831. 

A  manuscript  copy  of  this  work  exists  in  the  Zoolog 
ical  Library  of  Harvard  University. 

172.  Continuation   of  a   Monograph  of   the    Bivalve   Shells   of   the 

River  Ohio,  and  other  rivers  of  the  Western  States  ( Pub 
lished  at  Brussels,  September,  1820).  Containing  46  species, 
from  76  to  121.  Including  an  Appendix  on  some  Bivalve 
Shells  of  the  Rivers  of  Hindostan,  with  a  Supplement  on 
the  Fossil  Bivalve  Shells  of  the  Western  States,  and  the  Tulo- 
sites,  a  new  Genus  of  Fossils.  Philadelphia,  October,  1831. 

173.  First  Number,  For  the  Spring  of   1832.  |  With  two  figures,    | 

Melissa  and  Mammoth  Cave.  |  Atlantic  Journal,  |  and  Friend 
of  Knowledge ;  |  A  cyclopedic  Journal  and  Review  |  of 
universal  science  and  knowledge :  |  Historical,  Natural,  and 
Medical  Arts  and  Sciences :  |  Industry,  Agriculture,  educa 
tion,  and  every  kind  of  useful  knowledge :  |  with  numerous 
figures.  |  =  |  Editor,  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Professor  of  His 
torical  and  Natural  Sciences,  and  Member  of  several  |  learned 
societies  in  Paris,  Brussels,  Vienna,  Naples,  Bonn,  |  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  Lexington,  &c.  |  ==  \  Knowl 
edge  is  the  mental  food  of  man.  |  .-=  |  Contents  of  No.  i.  | 
[List  of  36  articles]  |  Philadelphia:  |  Published  Quarterly  at 
the  office  of  the  Atlantic  Journal,  |  No.  59  North  Eighth 
Street,  and  Dobson's  Bookstore,  No.  108  Chesnut  Street; 
where  subscriptions  are  received.  |  Price  One  Dollar,  per 
Annum  in  advance,  or  Two  Dollars  for  twelve  numbers,  j 
William  Sharpless,  Printer,  No.  2.  Decatur  street.  |  1832. 
(i2mo,  pp.  212.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 

This  publication  was  projected  on  a  very  broad  basis, 
including,  in  its  scope,  "Historical,  natural  and  medical 
arts  and  sciences:  industry,  agriculture,  education,  and 
every  useful  information",  as  the  reader  is  informed  on 
the  title-page.  Bight  numbers  are  believed  to  have 
appeared,  at  irregular  intervals.  Of  these  we  have  seen 
a  copy  of  the  first  number,  in  the  library  of  Colonel 
R.  T.  Durrett;  the  additional  numbers  have  been  noted 
and  abstracted  in  the  library  of  Harvard  University. 
The  work  comprises  a  total  of  some  two  hundred  and 
twelve  pages,  and  is  mainly  made  up  of  short  articles  by 
Rafinesque,  with  an  occasional  item  added  by  some  other 
writer  [?].  It  is  curious  rather  than  valuable.  Follow 
ing  are  the  contents  of  the  complete  periodical,  so  far 
as  Rafinesque  is  known  to  have  contributed  to  it. 

In  Number  i : 

(1)  Latent  Knowledge,    p.  i. 

( 2 )  First  Letter  to  Champollion  on  the  Graphic  systems  of  Amer 

ica,   and    the    Glyphs   of   Otolum    or    Palenque,    in    Central 
America,    pp.  4-6. 

(3)  Tabular  View  of  the  American  Generic  Languages,  and  Origi 

nal  Nations,     pp.  6-8. 

(4)  The  Atlantic  Nations  of  America,     pp.  8-10. 

(5)  Results    of   the    Experiments    of    Recluz   on    the    Fixed    Oils. 

pp.  12,  13. 

(6)  Confirmation    of  the   Important  Discovery  of   the  property  of 

Sulphur  in  Trees  to   destroy  all  Insects  preying   on  them, 
pp.  13,  14. 


184  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

(7)  Melissa  Officinalis,  or  Balm.     pp.  14,  15. 

(8)  A  selection  of  24  out  of  100  new  species  of  Plants  of  North 

America  sent  to  Europe  in  1828  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque.     pp. 
16-18. 

(9)  On  the   Large  Wandering  Tygers  or  Jaguars  of  the  United 

States,    pp.  1 8,  19. 

(10)  On  the  North  American  Couguars.     p.  19. 

( 1 1 )  Extracts  from  A  Second  Series  of  Zoological  Letters  written 

to  Baron  Cuvier,  of  Paris,  by  Prof.  Rafinesque,  in  1831.     pp. 
19-22. 

(12)  Description  of  the  Sperlerpes  or  Salamander  of  the  Caves  of 

Kentucky,     p.  22. 

( 13 )  History  of  China  before  the  Flood,    pp.  22-26. 

(14)  Early  Colonization  from  China  by  Sea.     p.  26. 

(15)  The  Caves  of  Kentucky,     pp.  27-30. 

This  paper  has  a  cut  of  the  entrance  to  Mammoth 
Cave. 

(16)  Geological  Strata  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky,     pp.  30,31. 

(17)  Gold  Mines  of  North  America,     p.  31. 

(18)  Plan  of  a  New  Trading  Voyage  of  Industry  and  Science,    pp. 

32-34- 

(19)  Fragment  of  a  Philosophical  Poem  on  Knowledge,    p.  36. 

In  Number  2,  Summer  of  1832: 

( 20 )  Second  Letter  to  Mr.  Champollion  on  the  Graphic  Systems  of 

America,  and  the  Glyphs  of  Otolum  or  Palenque  in  Central 
America.     Elements  of  the  Glyphs,     pp.  40-44. 

(21)  Primitive  Origin  of  the  English  Language,     pp.  44-48. 

(22)  The  Fundamental  Base  of  the  Philosophy  of  Human  Speech, 

or  Philology  and  Ethnology,     pp.  48-51. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


(23)  On  the  Zapotecas  And  other  Tribes  of  the  State  of  Oaxaca. 

pp.  51-56. 
(  24  )  The  Domestic  Animals  of  Mankind  and  the  American  Nations. 

pp.  56-61. 
(  25  )  On  the  Moles  of  North  America  and  two  new  species  from 

Kentucky,     pp.  61,  62. 
(  26  )  Description  of  a  New  Otter,  Lutra  Concolor  from  Assam  in 

Asia.     p.  62. 

(  27  )  Couguars  of  Oregon,     pp.  62,  63. 
(28)  Description    of   a    new    Eagle    from    South   America,    Aquila 

dicronyx,  or  Macarran  Eagle,     p.  63. 
(  29  )  On  the  Salamander  of  the  hills  of  East  Kentucky.     S.  lurida. 

pp.  63,  64. 

(30)  Description  of  two  new  genera  of  Soft  Shell  Turtles  of  North 

America,  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque.     Apalone  and  Mesodeca.     pp. 
64,  65. 

(31)  Extracts  of  a  Series  of  Geological  Letters  to  Prof.  Al.  Brong- 

niart,  President  of  the  Geological  Society  of  Paris,    pp.  65-67. 

(32)  Remarks  on  the  Silicious  Fossils  of  North  America.     (Trans 

lated  from  the  French.)     pp.  67-69. 
(  33  )  Remarks  on  the  Geodes  and  Geodites.     pp.  69,  70. 

(34)  On  the  Cavulites  and  Antrosites.     pp.  70,71. 

(35)  On   the   Genera   of  fossil  Trilobites  or  Glomerites   of  North 

America,     pp.  71-73. 

(  36  )  On  the  Salses  of  Europe  and  America,     pp.  73,  74. 
(  37  )  On  the  Lamellites  N.  G.  of  American  Fossils,    p.  74. 
(38)  Licks  and  Sucks  of  Kentucky,     pp.  74-77. 
(  39  )  Description  of  a  new  cherry  tree  from  the  Oregon  Mountains. 

p.  78. 

(40)  Account  of  2  N.  Sp.  of  Dionea  or  Venus  fly  trap.    pp.  78,79. 

(41)  New  Plants  from  Bartram's  Botanic  Garden,     pp.  79,80. 

(42)  Some  Antiquities  of  Ohio.     p.  81. 

(43)  Economy  or  Science  of  Wealth,    p.  81. 

24 


1 86  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

In  Extra  of  Number  3,  September,  1832: 

(44)  Scientific  Travels  of  the  Editor  in  1832.     p.  85. 

(45)  The  Primitive  Black  Nations  of  America,     pp.  85,  86. 

(46)  Savings'  Banks  at  Baltimore,     p.  89. 

In  No.  3,  Autumn  of  1832: 

(47)  The  American  Nations  and  Tribes  are  not  Jews.     pp.  98-101. 

(48)  The  Cradle  of  Mankind  or  the  Imalaya  Mountains,    pp.  101-105. 

(49)  Oreology.     Relative  Age  of  Mountains,     p.  105. 

(50)  Geological  Survey  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  of  Pennsylvania, 

in  1818,  from  West  to  East.     pp.  105-109. 

(51)  Description  of  some  of  the   fossil   teeth   found  in  a  Cave   in 

Pennsylvania,     pp.  109,  no. 

(52)  Remarks    on    the    Monthly  Journal    of    Geology   and   Natural 

Science  of  G.  W.  Featherstonaugh,  for  May  1832  (but  only 
published  in  July),     pp.  110-114. 

(53)  On  the  false  Rhinoceroides   of  Featherstonaugh   and   Harlan. 

pp.  114,  115. 

(54)  Geology  of  the  Feroe  Islands,     p.  116. 

(55)  Arcibites   Rhombifera,  a   new  Encrinite,  from   the   Cabinet  of 

Dr.  Cohen,  of  Baltimore,     p.  116. 

( 56 )  Lucilites  Nigra,  a  new  univalve  fossil  shell,  from  the  Alleghany 

Mountains  of  Pennsylvania,     pp.  116,  117. 

( 57 )  Ancient  Chronology  of  the  Onguys  or   Iroquois.     [A  review.] 

pp.  117,  118. 

(58)  Vocabulary  of  the  Yarura  Language,     p.  118. 

(59)  New  and  Rare  Plants  of  Maryland  near  Baltimore,     p.  119. 

(60)  Six  New  Firs  of  Oregon,     pp.  119,  120. 

(61)  On  3  N.  Sp.  of  Clintonia.     p.  120. 

(62)  On  3  N.  Sp.  of  Eriocaulon.     p.  121. 

(63)  On  3  New  Water  Salamanders  of  Kentucky,     p.  121. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  187 

(64)  A  new  Tubular  fresh  water  shell  of  the  Alleghany  mts.     pp. 

121,  122. 

(65)  Fossils  of  Sherman  Creek,     p.  122. 

(66)  Atlantic  Review,     p.  122. 

In  Number  4,  Winter  of  1832: 

(67)  The  Last  Indians  of  New-Jersey,     p.  128. 

(68)  Description    of    an    ancient    Mexican    Historical    manuscript. 

pp.  128-130. 

(69)  Table  of   the   successive   Dynasties    and   Incas  of   Peru.    pp. 

130-132. 

(70)  American  Languages.     Wahtani  or  Mandan.     pp.  132,133. 

(71)  Languages  of  Oregon.     Chopunish  and  Chinuc.     pp.  133,134. 

(72)  Vulgar  names   of  fossils   and  petrifactions  in  North  America. 

P-  137- 

(73)  Ancient  Volcanoes  of  North  America,     pp.  137-140. 

(74)  Oolites  of  North  America,     pp-  140,  141. 

(75)  The  Fishes  of  the  United  States,     pp.  141,  142. 

(76)  New  Fossil  Shells  of  Pennsylvania,     pp.  142,  143. 

(77)  Stratipora  and  Flexulites.     N.  G.     p.  143. 

(78)  New  Lizard  from  Kentucky,     pp.  143,  144. 

( 79 )  Twenty  new  genera  of  Plants  from  the  Oregon  Mountains,  &c. 

pp.  144-146. 

(80)  Account  of  32  N.  Sp.  of  plants  from  Florida,     pp.  146-148. 

(81)  On  3  Sp.  of  Typha.     pp.  148,  149. 

(82)  Two    New   Genera  of   Umbelliferous  Plants   from    Kentucky. 

p.  149. 

(83)  On  12  N.  Sp.  of  Plants  from  Illinois,  &c.     pp.  149-151. 

(84)  On  17  N.  Sp.  of  Plants  from  Upper  Canada,  &c.     pp.  151,  152. 

(85)  Vernasolis,  a  New  Genus,     p.  152. 

(86)  Lophactis  N.  G.     pp.  152,  153. 

(87)  On  4  N.  Sp.  of  North  American  Tulips,     p.  153. 


1 88  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

(88)  New  Plants  of  the  Alleghany  Mts.     pp.  153,  154. 

(89)  Odatelia  N.  G.  of  N.  American  Bivalve  fluviatile  shell,     p.  154. 

In  Number  5,  Spring  of  1833: 

(90)  American  Travellers.     Who  have  written  their  travels?     pp. 

I55-I57- 

(91)  Alleghanies  Mountains,     pp.  157-161. 

(92)  The  Patagons.    pp.  161-163. 

(93)  N.  G.  Cauloma.  Raf.     p.  163. 

(94)  Principles  of  the  Philosophy  of  new  Genera  and  new  species 

of  Plants  and  Animals.    (Extract  of  a  letter  to  Dr.  J.  Torrey, 
etc.).     pp.  163,  164. 

(95)  N.  G.  Scandianus.  Raf.     pp.  164,  165. 

(96)  On   3   N.  G.    of  Land  Shells  from   Buenos  Ayres   in   South 

America,     p.  165. 

( 97 )  On  5  New  Fresh  Water  Shells  of  Bengal  and  Assam  in  Asia. 

pp.  165,  166. 

(98)  Commercial  Enterprise,     p.  166. 

(99)  Account  of  the  Botanical  Collections  of  Professor  C.  S.  Rafin- 

esque.     pp.  169,  170. 

In  Number  6,  Summer  of  1833. 

(100)  Epidermic  Varieties  of  Mankind,     pp.  171,  172. 

( 101 )  Complexions  of  Mankind,  &c.     pp.  172,  173. 

( 102 )  Affinities   of  the   English   Language  with  the  African   Lan 

guages  and  Dialects  of  Egypt,  &c.     pp.  173-175. 

(103)  Sorex  dichrurus.     N.  Sp.  of  Shrew,     pp.  175,  176. 

( 104 )  Florula  Texensis.     Dicotyl.     N.  Sp.     New  Dicotyl  Plants   of 

Texas  and  Arkansas,  in  my  Herbarium,     pp.  176-179. 

(105)  G.  Dodecatheon  or  Meadia.     pp.  179,  180. 

(106)  New  Amer.  Subterranean  Plants,     pp.  180-182. 

( 107)  Pleuradena  Coccinea.    N.  G.  of  Mexican  Shrub  from  Bartram's 

Garden,     p.  182. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  189 

( 108 )  Orospodias    Corymbosa,    or    Wild    Cherry,    of    Oregon    Mts. 

p.  182. 

( 109 )  Incombustible  Architecture,  Or   Fire  Proof  Buildings  of  all 

Kinds,  built  as  Cheap  as  any  combustible  buildings.  By 
C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Professor  of  many  sciences,  Architect, 
Draftsman,  &c.  pp.  183-186. 

174.  Atlantic  Journal. — Extra  of  No.  6.  |  Herbarium  |  Rafinesqui- 
anum.  |  Prodromus. — Pars  Prima,  |  Rarissm.  Plant.  Nov.  | 
Herbals:  or  Botanical  Collections  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Pro 
fessor  of  Botany,  &c,  &c,  &c.  |  First  Part.  |  Very  Rare  New 
Plants  chiefly  from  Oregon,  Texas,  Arkansas,  Missouri,  Illi 
nois,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Alabama,  Florida,  Apalachian  and 
Alleghany  Mountains,  in  North  America.  Besides  Russia, 
Siberia,  Syria,  Arabia,  Candia,  Sicily,  Italy,  Egypt,  Magellania, 
&c,  elsewhere.  Collected  or  acquired  between  1800  and  1832. 
|  The  Labor  of  a  Whole  Life!  |  Philadelphia:  1833.  |  Price 
one  dollar.  (i2mo,  pp.  48.) 

This  small  pamphlet  contains  the  following  separate 
articles : 

(no)  Account  of  the  Botanical  Collections  of  Professor  C.  S.  Raf 
inesque.  pp.  3-10. 

(in)  Principles  of  the  Philosophy  of  new  Genera  and  new  species 
of  Plants  and  Animals.  (Extract  of  a  letter  to  Dr.  J. 
Torrey,  of  New  York,  dated  ist  Dec.,  1832.)  pp.  11,  12. 

(112)  Natural  Classification  of  Plants,     pp.  12-15. 

(113)  Extracts  from  Botanical  Letters  to  Decandolle,  Agardh,  and 

Arnott,  in   1830,  31,  32,  &  33.     pp.  16-20. 

(114)  Florula  Texensis.     pp.  20-26. 

(115)  G  [enus]  Dodecatheon  or  Media,     pp.  26-29. 

(116)  G  [enus]  Kuhnia,  revised,     pp.  29,  30. 

(117)  G  [enus]  Helichroa.  Raf.    1825.     pp.  30-32. 


1 90  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  second  part  has  the  following: 

(118)  Chronological   Index  of  the  principal   Botanical  Works   and 

Discoveries  published  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque.     pp.  33-37. 

(119)  Index  of  the  Florula  Mandanensis  of  Bradbury*  and  Rafin 

esque,  published  in  1817  and  in  1820,  with  Notes  and  addi 
tions,     pp.  37-41. 

(120)  Monograph  of  the  Species  of  G.  Samolus,  in  my  Herbarium. 

pp.  41-43. 

(121)  Genus  Cypripedium.     pp.  43,  44. 

(122)  Genus  Spiranthes.     pp.  44,  45. 

*  John  Bradbury,  born  August  20,  1768,  died  1823.  The  grave  of  this  famous 
botanist  is  in  the  cemetery  at  Middletown,  near  Louisville.  This  naturalist 
made  a  journey  up  the  Missouri  river,  two  thousand  nine  hundred  miles 
above  New  Orleans,  in  1811.  Extensive  collections  of  plants  were  made;  of 
these  some  were  shipped  to  England,  with  the  intention  of  describing  the 
rarer  forms.  But  it  appears  that  his  confidence  was  violated  and  the  collec 
tions  were  submitted,  in  advance  of  his  return,  "to  a  person  of  the  name  of 
Pursh,  who  has  published  the  most  interesting  of  my  plants  in  an  appendix 
to  the  Flora  America  Septentrionalis"  (1814.)  Bradbury  published  in  his 
book.t  "Travels  in  the  Interior  of  America,  in  the  Years  1809,  1810,  and  1811," 
on  pp.  335-338,  a  catalogue  of  the  more  rare  and  valuable  plants  found.  This 
I  have  carefully  compared  with  the  list  which  Rafinesque  gives  in  his  Florula 
Mandanensis,  but  only  very  few  are  the  same.  There  is  here  an  interesting 
matter  connected  with  these  plants;  were  the  names  given  by  Rafinesque  be 
stowed  upon  plants  already  named  by  Bradbury?  or  did  Rafinesque  publish 
first  and  anticipate  the  names  assigned  by  Pursh  ?  In  any  event  there  is  very 
little  evidence  that  Rafinesque  used  the  Bradbury  list,  as  he  did  those  of 
Robin  and  Darby! 

t Travels  |  in  The  Interior  of  America,  |  in  the  |  years  1809,  1810,  and  1811 ;  |  including  |  A 
Description  of  Upper  Louisiana,  |  together  with  |  The  States  of  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  |  and 
Tennessee,  |  with  the  |  Illinois  and  western  Territories,  |  and  containing  |  Remarks  and  Obser 
vations  |  useful  to  |  Persons  emigrating  to  those  countries.  | |  By  John  Bradbury,  F.  L-  S. 

London,  |  Corresponding  Member  of  the  Liverpool  Philosophical  Society  and  Honorary  Member 
of  |  the  Literary  and  Philosophical  Societies,  New  York,  United  States,  America.  |  =  \  Liver 
pool  :  |  Printed  for  the  author,  |  By  Smith  and  Galway,  |  and  published  by  Sherwood,  Neely, 
and  Jones,  London.  | |  1817.  (8vo,  pp.  1-12  [Errata],  9-364.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  191 

(123)  G.  Jeffersonia  and  Podophyllum.     p.  46. 

(124)  Fasiculus  florula  Oregonsis.     pp.  46-48. 

(125)  Florula  Apalachensis.     (Dicotyl.  Fasciculus  I.)     p.  48. 

In  Number  7,  Autumn  of  1833: 

(126)  Scientific  Travels  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  in  1833.     pp.  187,  188. 

( 127)  Elevations  of  land  and  water,  mountains  and  hills  in  the  State 

of  New  York.     pp.  188-191. 

(128)  Some  essential  views  of  Geology,  by  Dr.  Hebbert  and  Rafin 

esque.     pp.  191-195. 

(129)  Some    remarks    on    the    Ruins    of    Otolum    near    Palenque. 

pp.  195-197- 

(130)  History  of  Austral  America,     pp.  197,  198. 

( 131 )  Chontal  or  Tzendal  Vocabulary,     p.  198. 

( 132)  Gypsies  of  America,     pp.  198,  199. 

(133)  N.  G.     Ygramela  and  Peltimela.     p.  199. 

(  134)  On  the   Custard-apples    or  Aunona  triloba   and  glabra.     pp. 
199,  200. 

(135)  Expexis.     N.  G.  of  Water  Plants,     p.  200. 

(136)  Substitutes  for  Tobacco,     pp.  200,  201. 

( 137)  Huge  Water  Volcano,     pp.  201,  202. 

(138)  Improvements  in  Navigation,     p.  202. 

(139)  Chemical  Manufacture,  of  Professor  Rafinesque.     (An  adver 

tisement,  in  the  first  person.)     p.  202. 

In  Number  8,  Winter  of  1833: 

(140)  The  Luminous  Meteors  of  1833.     pp.  205,  206. 

(141)  Chronological   Index  of  the   principal   Botanical  Works   and 

Discoveries  published  by  C.  S.  Rafinesque.     pp.  206-208. 
(142)"  Geology  and  Physical  features  of  the  Atlantic  Plains  of  North 

America,     pp.  209-211. 
(143)  Valedictory,     pp.  211,  212. 


192  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

It  will  readily  be  noted  that  this  publication  has 
absolutely  no  scientific  value.  The  full  lists  of  notes 
and  articles  by  Rafinesque  have  been  given  with  the 
sole  hope  of  thus  furnishing  additional  basis  for  a 
judgment  concerning  the  value  of  his  later  work. 

175.  A  |  Monograph  |  of  the  |  Fluviatile  Bivalve  Shells  |  of  the  River 

Ohio,  |  containing  |  Twelve  Genera  &  Sixty-eight   Species.    | 

|  Translated  from  the  French  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Prof. 

Bot.  |  and  Nat.  Hist,  in  Transylvania  University.  | |  Phil 
adelphia:  |  J.  Dobson,  108  Chestnut  Street.  |  1832.  (i2mo, 
pp.  i-vi,  7-72.)  i,  pi.  unio  verrueosa  Ref. 

This  is  an  English  translation  of  Rafinesque's  earlier 
work  on  the  shells  of  the  Ohio  River,  published  by  his 
friend  Poulson,  of  Philadelphia.  A  favorable  review  by 
Doctor  Harlan,  afterward  a  bitter  enemy,  may  be  found 
in  the  Monthly  American  Journal  of  Geology,  Vol.  I, 
No.  8,  pp.  372-375,  February,  1832. 

176.  Visit  to  Big-Bone  Lick,  in  1821.    By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  Professor 

of  Historical  and  Natural  Sciences,  etc.  (The  Monthly  Amer 
ican  Journal  of  Geology  and  Natural  Sciences,  Vol.  I,  No.  8, 
February,  pp.  355~358-  l832- 

A  critique,  with  additional  information,  of  an  article 
by  William  Cooper,  in  numbers  four  and  five  of  the 
same  journal.  Cooper  gives  a  most  excellent  map  of 
the  locality. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  193 

177.  Le  Pulmist  |  ou  |  Introduction  a  1'Art  de  Guerir  |  et  de  PreVenir 

|  La  Consomption  |  ou  |  La  Phthisic  Chronique;  |  (Traduit  de 
1'Anglais)  |  Par  M.  le  Dr  C.-S.  Rafinesque,  |  Professeur  d'his- 
torie  naturelle  et  de  botanique  |  medicale  a  Philadelphia,  | 
Auteur  du  Manuel  de  Botanique  Medicale  des  Etats-Unis, 
|  de  1'Analyse  de  la  Nature,  etc.,  etc.  |  Membre  des  Societes 
medicales  de  Cincinnati,  de  Lexington  et  de  Phi-  |  ladelphie, 
du  Lycee  de  New-York,  de  1'Academie  des  Sciences  |  natur- 
elles  de  Philadelphie,  de  la  Societe  des  Antiquities  ameri- 
caines  |  de  Worcester  et  de  Neschville,  de  1'Institute  de  Ken 
tucky  et  de  plu-  |  sieurs  Societes  savantes  de  1'Euope,  a 
Paris,  Bruxelles,  Vienne,  |  Bonn,  Florence,  Naples,  etc.  |  La 
consumption  n'est  pas  une  maladie  incurable;  mais  |  les 
remedes  a  y  appliquer  doivent  principalement  etre  |  porte"s 
au  poumon  par  la  respiration  ou  1'inhalation.  |  (Le  Pulmist, 
n.  no.)  |  -  -  |  Paris.  |  Imprimerie  de  Dezauche,  |  Faub. 
Montmartre,  No.  n.  |  -  -  |  1833.  (8vo,  pp.  xix,  123.) 

178.  Letter  to  Mr.  Champollion,  on  the  Graphic  Systems  of  Amer 

ica,  and  the  Glyphs  of  Otolum,  or  Palenque,  in  Central 
America.  (In  "American  Antiquities  and  Discoveries  in  the 
West",  4th  Ed.,  by  Josiah  Priest,  pp.  118-124.  l834-) 

This  is  a  reprint  of  Rafinesque's  article  in  the  Atlantic 
Journal  and  Friend  of  Knowledge. 

179.  Ancient  Languages  of  the  first  Inhabitants  of  America.     First 

Letter  to  Mr.  Champollion,  on  the  Graphic  Systems  of  Amer 
ica,  and  the  Glyphs  of  Otolum  or  Palenque,  in  Central 
America.  (In  "American  Antiquities  and  Discoveries  in  the 
West",  4th  Ed.,  by  Josiah  Priest,  pp.  309-313.  1834.) 

Reprinted  from  the  Atlantic  Journal  and  Friend  of 
Knowledge.  The  letter  is  dated  from  Philadelphia,  Jan 
uary,  1832. 


194  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

180.  Primitive   Origin    of   the   English   Language.     (In   "American 

Antiquities  and  Discoveries  in  the  West",  4th  Ed.,  by  Josiah 
Priest,  pp.  316-323.  1834.) 

181.  [Review  of]  Ancient   Chronology  of  the  Onguys  or   Iroquois 

Indians.  By  David  Cusick.  (In  "American  Antiquities  and 
Discoveries  in  the  West",  4th  Ed.,  by  Josiah  Priest,  pp. 
336-338.  1834.) 

182.  Evidence  that  a  Nation  of  Africans,  the  Descendants  of  Ham, 

now  inhabit  a  District  of  South  America.  (In  "American 
Antiquities  and  Discoveries  in  the  West",  4th  Ed.,  by  Josiah 
Priest,  pp.  340-342-  1834.) 

183.  A  |  Life  of  Travels  |  and  |  Researches  |  in  North  America  and 

South  Europe,  |  or  |  Outlines  |  of  |  The  Life,  Travels  and 
Researches  |  of  |  C.  S.  RAFINESOUE,  A.  M.  Ph.  D.  |  Professor 
of  historical  and  natural  scien  |  ces,  member  of  many  learned 
societies  in  |  Europe  and  America,  |  author  of  many  works 
&c,  |  containing  |  His  travels  in  NORTH  AMERICA  and  |  the 
SOUTH  of  EUROPE;  the  Atlantic  |  Ocean,  Mediterranean, 
Sicily,  Azores  &c,  |  from  1802  to  1835, — with  sketches  of  his 

|  scientific  and  historical  researches,  &c.  | |  Un  voyageur 

d£s  le  berceau,  |  je  le  Serais  jusqu'au  tombeau  *  *  *  | | 

Philadelphia,  Printed  for  the  Author  |  By  F.  Turner,  No.  367, 
Market  Street,  1836.  |  Price  Seventy-five  cents.  (i2mo,  pp. 
1-148.) 

This  book  is  now  quite  rare,  and,  like  some  other 
works  by  its  unfortunate  author,  seems  to  have  been 
grossly  misinterpreted.  Almost  all  we  know  of  the  per 
sonal  history  of  Rafinesque  is  derived  from  this  work. 
To  many  it  has  appeared  to  be  little  more  than  the 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 

product  of  an  overweening  vanity,  which  is  further 
supported  by  the  fact  that  the  narrative  is  constantly 
in  the  first  person.  It  is  well,  however,  to  remember 
that  this  book  was  originally  written  in  the  form  of 
personal  reminiscences  to  his  sister,  in  whom  Rafinesque 
appears  to  have  taken  great  interest.  This  will  explain 
the  constant  use  of  the  pronoun  of  the  first  person. 
The  book  is  exasperating  in  a  very  peculiar  way,  since 
very  many  facts  which  we  wish  to  know  most  are 
omitted  entirely.  The  work  should  be  read  by  every 
one  desiring  to  form  a  just  estimate  of  Rafinesque's 
earlier  scientific  work. 

184.  Bulletin  of  the  Historical  and  Natural  Sciences.    No.  3.    Phil 

adelphia,  May,  1836.     pp.  17-24.     24mo. 

A  copy  of  this  Bulletin,  which  is  but  one  of  a  series 
of  advertising  pamphlets  "  distributed  gratis",  may  be 
seen  bound  in  with  "The  American  Nations",  of  which 
it  is  a  prospectus,  in  the  Bates  Hall,  Boston  Public 
Library.  A  number  of  these  tracts  appeared  at  differ 
ent  times,  irregularly,  but  are  consecutively  numbered; 
they  possess  no  real  value. 

185.  The  World,  |  or  |  Instability.  |  A  Poem.  |  In  twenty  parts.  |  With 

notes  and  illustrations.  |  *  *  *  |  |  Philadelphia  &  London: 

|  *  *  *  |  1836.     (8vo,  pp.  1-248.) 


196  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  name  of  the  author  does  not  appear  on  the  title- 
page  nor  elsewhere  in  the  volume,  but  he  has  in  another 
place  confessed  authorship ;  its  origin,  however,  is  other 
wise  unmistakable. 

1 86.   The  American  |  Nations;  |  or,  |  Outlines  of  A  National  History; 

j  of  the  Ancient  and  Modern  Nations  |  of  North  and  South 

America.  |  *  *  *  |  First  number  or  volume   Generalities  and 

Annals.     Philadelphia,  |  1836.     (i2tno,  pp.  260.) 

Second  number  or  Volume  "Origin  and  Researches."     (pp.  292.) 

Bach  volume  has  a  second  title-page  as  follows: 

The  American  Nations;  |  or  |  Outlines  of  their  |  General  His 
tory,  |  Ancient  and  Modern :  |  Including  the  whole  history  of 
the  earth  |  and  mankind  in  the  Western  Hemisphere;  |  the 
Philosophy  of  American  History;  |  the  Annals,  traditions, 
Civilization,  |  Languages  &c  of  all  the  Ameri  |  can  Nations, 
Tribes,  Empires  |  and  States.  |  With  Maps,  Plates,  Views,  and 
Plans  of  Monuments,  |  Tables,  Notes,  and  Illustrations.  |  *  *  * 
|  First  [Second]  Volume  |  *  *  *  |  Philadelphia;  |  C.  S.  Rafin- 
esque,  no  North  Tenth  St.  |  *  *  *  |  -  -  |  1836. 

Of  this  work,  planned  to  comprise  twelve  volumes, 
but  two  volumes  were  printed.  No  maps,  plates,  or 
illustrations  appear.  The  work  was  dedicated  to  "the 
Society  of  Geography  of  Paris."  It  is  a  curious  assem 
blage  of  facts  and  quotations,  many  of  which  have  no 
bearing  on  the  general  subject  of  the  work.  Very  odd 
anthropologic  relations  are  assumed  without  basis  of 
real  fact. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


187.  First  Part.  Introd.  Lexicon,  &c  [  =  =  |  New  Flora  |  and  Botany 
|  of  |  North  America.  |  Being  a  supplemental  flora,  |  To  the 
Various  Floras  and  Botanical  Works  of  Michaux,  |  Muhlen- 
berg,  Pursh,  Nuttall,  Elliot,  Torrey,  Beck,  Eat-  |  on,  Bigelow, 
Barton,  Robin,  Hooker,  Riddell,  Darling-  |  ton,  Schweinitz, 
Gibbs,  &c.  |  Besides  the  general  works  of  Linneus,  Wildenow, 
|  Vahl,  Vitmau,  Persoon,  Latnark,  Decandole,  Sprengel,  |  Jus- 
sieu,  Adanson,  Necker,  Lindley,  &c.  Containing  |  nearly  500 
additional  or  revised  New  Genera,  and  1500  |  additional  or 
corrected  New  Species,  illustrated  by  |  figures  in  AUTIKON 
BOTANICON.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M.—  Ph.  D.  |  Prof,  of 
Botany,  the  historical  and  natural  sciences  —  |  Member  of 
many  learned  Societies  in  Paris,  Vienna,  |  Bonn,  Bruxelles, 
Bordeaux,  Zurich,  Naples,  &c.  and  |  in  Philadelphia,  New 
York,  Cincinnati,  Lexington,  &c.  |  -  |  The  Floral  wealth 
in  this  wide  land  concealed,  |  Will  be  at  last  by  learned  care 
revealed.  |  -  |  Philadelphia.  |  Printed  for  the  Author  and 
Publisher.  |  1836. 

This  work  was  published  in   four  parts*  as  follows: 

New  Flora  and  Botany  of  North  America.     Part  First.    Intro 

ductory  Lexicon,  Monographs,  etc.     1836.     (8vo,  pp.  i-ioo.) 
New  Flora  and  Botany  of  North  America.    Second  Part.    Neo- 

phyton.     1836.     (8vo,  pp.  96.) 
New  Flora  and  Botany  of  North  America.     Third  Part.     New 

Sylva.     1836.     (8vo,  pp.  96.) 
New  Flora  and  Botany  of  North  America.    Fourth  Part.    Neo- 

botanon.     1836.     (8vo,  pp.  112.) 

In  the  title  of  the  third  and  fourth  parts  the  word 
"  great"  instead  of  "general"  is  employed  in  describing 
the  "works"  of  the  various  authors  named.  The  lines 

*From  the  prospectus  we  learn  that  the  work  was  to  have  consisted  of 
six  parts. 


198  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

are  broken  in  a  slightly  different  manner,  but  the  phrase 
ology  is  otherwise  identical. 

1 88.  First  Part  j  of  the  |  Synoptical  Flora  Telluriana,  |  Introduction 

&  Classification,  |  With  new  Natural  Classes,  Orders  and 
fami-  |  lies:  preamble  of  the  2000  New  or  revised  Gen-  |  era 
and  Species  of  Trees,  Palms,  Shrubs,  Vines,  |  Plants,  Lilies, 
Grasses,  Ferns,  Algas,  Fungi  &c.  |  from  North  and  South 
America,  Polynesia,  i  Australia,  Asia,  Europe  and  Africa, 
omitted  or  |  mistaken  by  the  authors,  that  were  observed 
or  |  ascertained,  described  or  revised,  collected  or  |  figured, 
between  1796  and  1836,  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.M.  |  Prof, 
of  Botany,  historical  and  natural  scien-  |  ces — member  of 
many  learned  Societies  in  |  Paris,  Vienna,  Bruxelles,  Bonn, 
Bordeaux,  |  Zurich,  Naples  &c.  Philadelphia,  New  York, 

Cincinnati,  Lexington,  &c.  |  |  To  observe  and  compare, 

to  correct  or  approve  |  By  good  names  and  new  facts  that 
convince  and  improve.  |  -  -  |  Philadelphia :  |  Printed  for  the 
Author  |  By  H.  Probasco,  No.  119,  North  Fourth  St.  |  1836. 
(8vo,  Ft.  I.,  pp.  104;  Pt.  II,  pp.  112.) 

189.  Autikon  Botanicon.  |  Incones  Plantarum  Select.     Nov.  vel  Rar- 

iorum,  |  plerumque  Americana,  interdum  African.  |  Europ. 
Asiat.  Oceanic.  &c.  |  Centur.  XXV.  |  -  -  |  Botanical  Illustra 
tions  |  by  Select  Specimens  or  Self-figures  in  |  25  Centuries 
of  2500  |  Plants,  Trees,  Shrubs,  Vines,  Lilies,  Grasses,  |  Ferns 
&c,  chiefly  new  or  rare,  doubtful  or  in-  |  teresting,  from  North 
America  and  some  other  |  regions;  with  accounts  of  the 
undescribed,  notes,  |  synonyms,  localities  &c.  |  In  5  parts 
of  5  Centuries  each  of  text  with  |  25  Volumes  folio  of 
Self-figures.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Prof,  of  Botany,  the 
Historical  and  Nat-  |  ural  Sciences,  member  of  many  learned 
So-  |  cieties  in  America  and  Europe,  author  of  |  many  botan 
ical  and  other  works  &c.  |  Part  First,  Cent.  I  to  V.  j  (The 

best  botanical  figures  are  the   objects   themselves)  |  | 

Philadelphia.  |  Collected,  ascertained  and  described  between 
|  1815  &  1840. 


Constantine  Samttel  Rafinesque,  199 

Text  of  500  objects  and  articles.  Phila.  1815-1840.  (8vo,  pp.  72.) 
Second  Part.  Centuries  VI-X.  Phila.  1815-1840.  (8vo,  pp.  68.) 
Third  Part.  Centuries  XI  to  XV.  Phila.  1815-1840.  (8vo,  pp.  60.) 

The  work  has  consecutive  pagination  from  i  to  200. 
There  are  no  figures.  It  ended  with  the  third  part  and 
is  one  of  the  incomplete  works  of  Rafinesque,  and 
further  illustrates  his  mental  vacillation. 

190.  Safe  Banking,  |  including  |  the  Principles  of  Wealth;  |  being  an 

enquiry  into  the  principles  and  |  practice  of  safe  and  unsafe 
banks,  or  |  nionied  institutions  in  North  America,  |  the  defects 
of  the  American  banking  |  system  and  legislation,  &c.  |  By 
C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  A.  M.— Ph.  D.  Prof,  of  Historical  and  Nat 
ural  Sciences,  |  member  of  15  learned  Societies  in  America 
and  |  Europe,  Author  of  50  Works. — Founder  of  the  |  Divitial 
Institution  of  North  America,  and  |  many  other  useful  Insti 
tutions,  &c.  |  |  Every  Bank  liable  to  risks  or  losses  and 

to  sudden  calls  |  is  Unsafe. — Every  Bank  liable  to  neither  is 

Safe.  |  |  Philadelphia:  |   1837.  |  Printed  by  order  and  at 

the  expense  of  the  |  Divitial  Institution  of  North  America,  | 
and  6  per  cent  Savings-Bank.  (i2mo,  pp.  138.) 

191.  Alsographia  |  Americana,  |  or   an   American   Grove   of   new  or 

revised  |  Trees  and  Shrubs  of  the  Genera  Myrica,  Caly-  | 
canthus,  Salix,  Quercus,  Fraxinus,  Populus,  Ti-  |  Ha,  Sam- 
bucus,  Viburnum,  Cornus,  Juglans.  Aes-  |  culus  &c,  with 
some  New  Genera,  Monographs,  |  and  many  new  Sp.  in  330 
articles,  completing  |  1405  G.  and  Sp.  as  a  continuation  of 
the  SYLVA  TELLURIANA  and  North  American  Trees  &  | 
Shrubs.  |  -  -  |  *  *  *  |  Philadelphia.  |  1838.  |  Price  One 
Dollar.  (8vo,  pp.  1-76.) 


200  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

192.  The  Ancient  Monuments  |  of  |  North  and  South  America, 
second  edition,  |  Corrected,  enlarged  and  with  some  additions, 
|  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M.— Ph.  D.  |  Professor  of  Historical 
and  Natural  Sci-  |  ences,  Member  of  many  Learned  Societies 
in  |  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Lexington,  Cincin-  |  natti,  Nash 
ville,  Paris,  Bordeaux,  Brussels,  |  Bonn,  Vienna,  Zurich, 
Naples  &c,  the  Amer-  |  ican  Antiquarian  Society,  the  North 
ern  An-  |  tiquarian  Society  of  Copenhagen  &c.  |  The  massive 
ruins  the  arts  and  skill  unfold  |  Of  busy  workers,  and  their 
styles  reveal,  |  The  objects  and  designs  of  such  devisers :  j 
In  silent  voices  they  speak,  to  thinking  minds  |  They  teach, 
who  were  the  human  throngs  that  left  |  Uplifted  marks  for 
witness  of  past  ages.  |  Philadelphia  |  1838.  |  Printed  for  the 
Author.  (8vo,  pp.  1-28.) 

There  was  never  a  " first  edition"  of  this  pamphlet 
printed,  as  might  be  justly  inferred  from  this  title.  The 
matter  comprised  in  this  paper  appeared  in  the  journal 
named  in  the  following  title.  The  "Additions"  comprise 
pages  25  to  28,  and  contain  some  curious  matter.  The 
addition  "n"  is  particularly  interesting  reading.  It  runs 
as  follows: 

"  In  my  work  on  Historical  Palingenesy  or  the  restoration  of 
ancient  nations  and  languages  presumed  lost,  I  have  been  able  to 
restore  many  of  all  the  parts  of  the  world  (but  chiefly  America  and 
Europe)  in  the  same  manner  as  I  once  did  for  the  Haytian  nation 
and  language,  whereby  many  historical  links  will  be  evolved  and 
traced.  My  process  is  similar  to  that  of  Cuvier  and  the  modern 
Paleontologists,  who  restore  extinct  animals  by  fragments  of  their 
bones.  I  do  the  same  with  extinct  languages  by  fragments  of  their 
words  and  elements,  discovered  and  put  together." 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque  >  201 

193.  Researches  on  the  Antiquities  and  Monuments  of  North  and 

South  America.  (American  Museum,  No.  i,  September,  1838. 
Baltimore.) 

This  paper  originally  appeared  in  a  periodical  which 
commenced  a  new  series  of  the  North  American  Quar 
terly  Magazine,  a  literary  monthly  periodical  undertaken 
by  Brooks  and  Snodgrass.  The  original  paper  has  not 
passed  under  inspection,  but  the  title  is  quoted  from 
the  second  page  of  the  pamphlet  named  in  the  pre 
ceding  reference. 

194.  Celestial  Wonders    and   Philosophy,   or    the    Structure    of  the 

Visible  Heavens,  with  hints  on  their  Celestial  Religion  and 
theory  of  Futurity.  Philadelphia.  1838.  (i6mo,  pp.  136.) 

Book  not  seen ;  quoted  from  Gray's  review  of  the 
botanical  writings  of  Rafinesque,  which  see. 

195.  Bulletin   of   the    Historical    and    Natural   Sciences.     By  C.   S. 

Rafinesque,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.  Philadelphia.  (Spring  of  1838. 
No.  7,  pp.  37-44-) 

This  is  an  advertising  sheet,  and  is  mentioned  here 
because  it  contains  a  list  of  Rafinesque's  other  works 
and  so  may  prove  useful. 

196.  Genius  and  Spirit  |  of  the  |  Hebrew  Bible.  |  Including  the  Biblic 

Philosophy  of  |  Celestial  Wisdom,  Religion  and  Theo-  j  logy, 
Astronomy  and  Realization,  |  Ontology  and  Mytholog}7,  Chro- 
no-  |  metry  and  Mathematics.  |  Being  the  First  Series  of  Bible 
Truths,  |  Ascertained  and  Explained  by  the  |  true  restored 

26 


202  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

names  and  words  in  Eng  |  lish  Letters,  of  the  Religious  and 
Philoso  |  phical  Conceptions  of  the  OBRI  or  He-  |  brew 
Language  relating  thereto,  that  are  |  found  in  the  MKRE  or 
Hebrew  Scrip-  |  tures,  with  their  meanings  and  deriva-  |  tions : 
whereby  the  real  ancient  OBRI  |  knowledge  is  restored  and 
found  to  agree  |  with  the  highest  modern  Knowledge.  |  By 
C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  |  Prof,  of  Historical  and  Nat 
ural  Sci-  |  ences,  of  Languages  and  comparative  |  Philology  — 
Member  of  many  learned  |  Societies  in  Europe  and  America  — 
Au-  |  thor  of  many  Works  —  Founder  of  the  |  Central  Uni 
versity  of  Illinois  &c.  |  Printed  for  the  Eleutherium  of 
Know-  |  ledge  and  Central  University  of  Illinois  &c.  |  Phila 
delphia.  |  1838.  (i2mo,  pp.  1-264.) 

This  work  is  very  clearly  that  of  a  man  who  has 
lost  the  power  of  acute  perception  and  correct  ratio 
cination.  It  is  very  curious  and  odd,  but  without  the 
least  value  from  any  possible  standpoint. 

197.  Sylva  Telluriana.  |  Mantis,  [sa]  Synopt.  [ica]  |  ==  |  New  Gen 
era  and  Species  |  of  Trees  and  shrubs  of  North  America,  | 
and  other  regions  of  the  earth,  |  Omitted  or  mistaken  by 
the  Botanical  Au-  |  thors  and  Compilers,  |  or  not  properly 
classified,  |  now  reduced  by  their  natural  affinities  to  the  | 
proper  natural  orders  and  tribes.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  A.  M. 
— Ph.  D.  Prof,  of  Botany,  the  Natural  and  Historical  Sciences, 
Member  of  Many  learned  Societies,  in  Paris,  Bordeaux,  Brus 
sels,  Bonn,  Vienna,  Zurich,  Naples,  &c. — Philadelphia,  New 
York,  |  Lexington,  Cincinnatti,  &c.,  author  of  many  |  works. 

|  Being  a  supplement  to  the  Flora  Telluriana.  | |  (Trees 

and  Shrubs  are  the  Ornaments  of  the  Earth)  |  |  Phila 
delphia:  Printed  for  the  Author  and  Publisher.  | |  1838. 

(8vo,  pp.  1-184.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  203 

198.  American  Manual  of  the  Mulberry  trees;    25  separate  species, 

30  varieties;  history,  &c.  with  hints  on  procuring  silk  out 
of  the  bark.  Philadelphia.  1839.  (i2mo,  pp.  96.  [Not  seen.]) 

199.  The  |  Pleasures  and  Duties  |  of  |  Wealth.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque. 

|  A.  M— Ph.  D.  |  *  *  *  |  -    -  |  *  *  *  |  -    _|  Philadelphia :   | 

Printed   for  the    Eleutherium   of   Knowledge.  |  |  1840. 

(8vo,  pp.  1-32.) 

200.  The  Good  Book — Number  I  |  (300  Figures)  | |  Amenities 

of  Nature  |  or  annals  of  |  Historical  and  Natural  Sciences,  | 
Chiefly  on  Zoology,  Botany,  Geology,  Agro-  |  nomy,  Ethnog 
raphy,  Philology  &c  .  .  .  Organ-  |  ized  beings  and  fossils, 
Nations  and  languages.  |  with  1000  figures.  |  By  C.  S.  Rafin 
esque  A.  M. — Ph.  D.  |  Professor  of  those  Sciences  &c.  |  — —  | 
Philadelphia  |  January  1840.  |  Subscriptions  $5  in  advance  for 
10  numbers  |  — single  numbers  one  dollar  each. 

This  is  the  title  as  given  on  the  cover  of  the  volume. 
The  title  given  on  the  title-page  is  quite  different,  but 
as  it  is  sometimes  quoted  it  is  here  given  in  full.  It 
runs  as  follows : 

The  Good  Book,  |  and  Amenities  of  Nature,  |  or  Annals  of 
Historical  and  Natural  |  Sciences.  |  Containing  Selections,  of 
observations,  resear-  |  ches  and  novelties  in  all  the  branches 
of  Phy-  |  sical  and  Historical  Knowledge,  with  Letters  |  of 
eminent  Authors  —  chiefly  on  Zoology,  Botany,  |  Agronomy, 
Geognosy,  Ethnography  ...  or  Or-  |  ganized  Beings  and 
Fossils,  Nations  and  Lan-  |  guages.  By  C.  S.  Rafinesque 
A.  M. — Ph.  D.  |  Prof,  of  Historical  and  Natural  Sciences,  j 
Languages  &c,  member  of  16  Learned  Societies  |  in  Europe 
and  America,  author  of  220  Works,  |  Pamphlets,  Essays  and 

Tracts  .  .  .  j  |  The  works  of  God  to  study  and  explain, 

|  Is  happy  toil  and  not  to  live  in  vain.  |  |  Philadelphia 

|  1840.  |  Printed  for  the  Eleutherium  of  Knowledge.  (8vo, 
pp.  84.) 


204  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

The  contents  are  all  by  Rafinesque,  and  are  as  follows : 

Prospectus,     p.  2. 
Introduction,     pp.  3,  4. 

(1)  Classification  of  the  Natural  Sciences  and  Objects,     pp.  5-12. 

(2)  Eutaxy.     Theory   of    Classification    and    the    new   science    of 

Eutaxy  or  Methodology,     pp.  12-16. 

(3)  Analogies.     The  Circle  of  Natural  Objects,  or  collective  affin 

ities  and  analogies  of  corporeal  forms  —  a  new  Science,     pp. 
16-19. 

(4)  Botany.     On  a  new  natural   class   of  plants,  the   Antilles   or 

Endantines.     pp.  19-23. 

(5)  Botany.     The  natural  family  of  Carexides.     pp.  23-28. 

(6)  Zoology  and  Geology.     The  Adelostomes  and  their  geological 

formations,  with  45  figures,     pp.  28-36.     [Figures  not  printed 
in  this  volume.] 

( 7 )  American  botany,  remarks  on  the  Flora  of  North  America  by 

Torrey,  Grey,  and  Nuttal.     pp.  37-44. 

(8)  New  Flora  and  Botany  of  North  America  or  a  Supplemental 

Flora,  to  all  the  botanical  works  on  the  United  States,  by 
C.  S.  Rafinesque.     pp.  44-47. 

(9)  New  Trees  and  Shrubs  of  North  America,     pp.  47-49. 

(10)  Scadiography  or  100   G.  of  Ombelliferous   plants   chiefly  new, 

with  their  types  &c.     pp.  49-61. 
(n)  On  the  5  Genera  Torreya  &c.     pp.  61-63. 

(12)  On  the  3  Genera  of  Cephalopodes,  Ocythoe,  Todarus  and  An- 

isoctus.     pp.  63-65. 

(13)  Ditaxopus  paradoxus,  a  new  Fossil  G.  of  Cephalopodes,  discov 

ered  1819.     Figure  54  and  55,  shell  and  animal,     pp.  66,  67. 

( 14)  The  new  Quadrupeds  of  North  America,  described  in  my  Atlan 

tic  Journal  of  1832.     pp.  67,  68. 

(15)  Etymology  of  the  Origon  Mountains,     p.  68. 

(16)  Historical  and  Ethnographical  Palingenesy  &c.     pp.  68-70. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  305 

(17)  Monument  of  the  Atlantes,  with  an  inscription  4000  years  old  — 

with  figures  62  to  68.     pp.  71-76. 

( 1 8 )  The  Graphic  Systems  of  the  Ancient  American  and  Chinese 

Nations,     pp.  76-81. 

(19)  Agronomy.     Oils  of  India,     pp.  81,  82. 

(20)  Useful  trees  and  plants  of  East  Indies,     pp.  82,  83. 

(21)  Additions  and  Index,     pp.  83,  84. 

201.  Monographic  |  des  |  Coquilles  |  bivalves   fluviatiles  |  de   la   Riv 

iere  Ohio  j  par  M.  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  |  Professeur  d'Historie 
Naturelle  a  1'universite  transylvane  de  Lexington  |  [Cut]  | 

Paris.  |  A.  Franck,  Librarie  Editeur  | |  1845.      (8vo,  pp. 

1-50.     [Frontispiece.]     pll.  I-III.) 

202.  The  |  complete  writings  |  of  |  Constantine  Schmaltz  Rafinesque 

|  on  |  recent  and  fossil  |  conchology.  | |  Edited  by  |  Wm. 

G.  Binney,  and  George  W.  Tryon,  Jr.,  |  Members  of  the  Acad 
emy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia.  | |  New  York : 

|****|  1864.  (8vo,  pp.  1-96,  1-7  [i]  pi.  I.)  (From  the 
Annales  Generates  des  Sciences  Physiques,  Bruxelles,  LXXX, 
LXXXI,  LXXXIL) 

203.  Remarks  on  the  Physical  Geography  of  North  America.     By 

C.  S.  Rafinesque.  Philadelphia,  April,  1840.  (Journal  of  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society,  Vol.  XI,  p.  165.  London,  1841.) 

This  is  a  posthumous  publication,  the  only  one  by 
Rafinesque  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  It  consists  of 
thirty  numbered  paragraphs.  The  author  divides  the 
country  into  eight  great  regions,  beginning:  "  i.  The 
Boreal,  or  region  of  the  lakes.  2.  The  Atlantic,  or  region 
of  the  littoral  plains,"  etc.,  etc.  Each  of  these  regions 
is  described  in  detail;  there  is  a  plea  for  the  retention 


206  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

of  the  "true  or  Indian  names"  of  every  thing;  also, 
there  is  given  a  list  of  the  aboriginal  names  of  the 
mountains;  and  the  general  ignorance  of  all  other  geog 
raphers  on  the  subject  is  lamented.  Not  a  few  refer 
ences  occur  relating  to  former  geographic  work  by 
himself,  including  a  mention  of  his  map  of  the  Ohio 
river,  made  in  1818. 

The  same  volume  contains,  at  the  end  of  the  above- 
mentioned  article,  some  editorial  notes  which  collectively 
constittite  a  brief  summary  of  "some  Remarks  on  New 
Colonies,  communicated  to  the  Royal  Geographical  Soci 
ety,  by  the  same  author,  but  not  published,  as  the  paper 
contains  little  that  is  new",  etc.  An  interesting  fact 
connected  with  this  essay  on  physical  geography  is  that 
the  plan  had  been  revolved  in  the  mind  of  Rafinesque 
for  many  years.  In  a  column  advertisement  of  the  pro 
posed  "Western  Minerva",  printed  in  the  Kentucky  Re 
porter  for  October  16,  1820,  is  the  title  of  this  article, 
which  had  then  been  prepared  and  was  "in  hand  for 
publication ".  It  is  the  last  one  in  the  list  of  works 
and  memoirs  by  a  remarkable  though  eccentric  man. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  207 


SUMMARY  OF  PUBLICATIONS. 

A  summary  of  this  register  will  serve  to  indicate 
very  clearly  the  general  bibliographic  character  of  Raf- 
inesque's  work.  There  are  relatively  few  books  and 
pamphlets;  magazine  articles  include  by  far  the  greater 
number  of  his  titles.  The  following  arrangement  will 
present  these  facts  at  a  glance: 

Magazine  articles, 144 

Books  and  Pamphlets, 39 

Rafinesque's  Magazines, 3 

Original  articles  in  last, 233 

Manuscripts, i 

Total  titles, 420 

To  this  summary  may  be  added: 

Reprints, 17 

Translations 7 

Books  from  oversheets, 3 

Grand  total, 447 

A  further  classification  by  subjects  will  serve  to  show 
the  very  wide  range  over  which  the  scientific  work  of 
Rafinesque  extended.  Among  these  papers  botanical  sub 
jects,  with  one  hundred  and  forty-one  titles,  take  preced 
ence;  zoological  papers  and  pamphlets  come  next  in  order 
with  some  one  hundred  and  twenty  titles,  of  which 


2o8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

those  that  relate  to  ichthyological  matters  are  in  excess. 
A  singular  fact  is  next  apparent  in  that  historical,  rather 
than  scientific,  subjects  appear  to  have  received  atten 
tion,  there  being  thirty-nine  papers  which  may  be  so 
classed.  Poems,  with  four  subjects,  one  of  which  com 
prised  some  two  hundred  pages,  presents  the  smallest 
number  of  titles. 

BIBLIOGRAPHIA  INCERTA. 

i.  The  Cosmonist.     (Twenty  Numbers  of  articles  under  this  title 
in  the  Kentucky  Gazette,  1822.) 

The  files  of  the  Kentucky  Gazette,  which  were  formerly 
complete  and  in  the  Lexington  Library,  have  suffered 
so  much  at  the  hands  of  unscrupulous  visitors  that  nearly 
all  that  portion  which  comprised  the  years  1821-1825 
has  been  removed  from  the  library.  There  is  now  no 
complete  copy  known.  The  missing  portion  contained 
the  numbers  of  the  Gazette  in  which  these  articles  of 
Rafinesque  appeared. 

/?.   The  Mexicans  in  1830. 

Said  by  Rafinesque,  in  his  "Life  of  Travels",  to  have 
been  published  in  1831.  It  has  been  impossible  to  learn 
more  of  the  paper. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  309 


*BIBLIOTHECA   RAFINESQUIANA. 

Anonymous.  Review  of  "The  Ancient  Monuments  of  Kentucky". 
(In  The  Cincinnati  Literary  Gazette,  Vol.  II,  December  25,  pp. 
203,  204.  1824.)  [Editorial?] 

Audubon,  John  J.  "The  Eccentric  Naturalist".  (In  Ornithological 
Biography,  Vol.  I,  pp.  455-460.  1832.) 

Agassiz,  Louis.  "  Notice  upon  a  Collection  of  Fishes  from  the 
Southern  bend  of  the  Tennessee  river,  in  the  State  of  Alabama  ". 
(American  Journal  of  Science,  2d  Series,  Vol.  XVII,  pp.  297  et 
segg.  1854.) 

Allen,  Harrison.  "A  Monograph  of  the  Bats  of  North  America". 
(Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Museum,  No.  43,  pp.  183,  184. 
1893.  Same  matter  in  Monograph  of  North  American  Bats, 
in  Smithsonian  Miscellaneous  Collections,  Vol.  VII,  pp.  xvi,  xvii. 
1864.) 

In  these  titles  are  reproduced  the  descriptions  of 
bats  published  by  Rafinesque  in  The  American  Monthly 
Magazine  and  in  "The  Annals  of  Nature." 

Binney,  Wm.  G.  and  Bland,  Thomas.  "  Note  on  Mesodon  leucodon, 
of  Rafinesque".  (Annals  New  York  Lyceum  of  Natural  History, 
Vol.  IX,  pp.  294,  295.  1870.) 

*  Under  this  title  are  given,  without  any  attempt  at  completeness,  a  list 
of  works  from  which  facts  connected  with  either  Rafinesque  or  his  scientific 
work  may  be  gleaned.  The  list  will  be  found  to  comprise  papers  of  a  varying 
and  wide  range  of  criticism. 

27 


210  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

This  title  also  mentions  a  manuscript  work  by  Raf 
inesque,  never  published,  under  the  title  of  Conchologia 
Ohiensis. 

Brendel,  Frederick.  "  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Science  of  Botany 
in  North  America  from  1635  to  1840".  (American  Naturalist, 
Vol.  XIII,  pp.  764,  765.  1879.) 

Call,  R.  Ellsworth.  "  Note  on  the  Genus  Campeloma  of  Rafinesque." 
(American  Naturalist,  Vol.  XVII,  pp.  603-608.  1883.) 

Call,  R.  Ellsworth.  "  On  the  Genus  Campeloma  Rafinesque,  with  a 
Revision  of  the  Species,  Recent  and  Fossil."  (Bulletin  Wash- 
burn  College  Laboratory  of  Natural  History,  Vol.  I,  pp.  149-165. 
1886.) 

Chase,  Theodore  R.  "  Constantine  Schmaltz  Rafinesque".  (Potter's 
American  Monthly,  an  Illustrated  Magazine  of  History,  Litera 
ture,  Science,  and  Art,  Vol.  VI,  pp.  97-101.  1876.) 

Collins,  Lewis.  History  of  Kentucky.  (Contains  a  short  sketch  of 
Rafinesque.  See  Vol.  II,  pp.  201,  202.  Edition  of  1882.  Rafin- 
esque's  list  of  the  sites  of  ancient  monuments  in  Kentucky  is 
reproduced  on  pp.  392,  393.) 

Conrad,  Timothy  A.  "  Synopsis  of  the  Family  of  Naiades  of  North 
America."  (Proceedings  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sci 
ences,  Vol.  VI,  p.  243  et  seqq. ;  also,  ibidem,  p.  499.  1853.) 

Copeland,  Herbert  E.  "A  Neglected  Naturalist".  (American  Nat 
uralist,  Vol.  X,  pp.  469-473.  1876.) 

Ball,  William  H.  "Some  American  Conchologists."  (Proceedings 
Biological  Society  of  Washington,  Vol.  IV,  pp.  114-117.  1888.) 

Featherstonhaugh,  G.  W.  Professor  Rafinesque.  (American  Monthly 
Journal  of  Geology  and  Natural  Science,  January,  Vol.  I,  No.  7, 
pp.  328,  329.  1832.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque. 


211 


Featherstonhaugh,  G.  W.  "  Review  of  Monograph  of  the  Bivalve 
Shells  of  the  River  Ohio.  Translated  from  the  French  of  Pro 
fessor  Rafinesque,  by  C.  A.  Poulson,  Esq."  (American  Monthly 
Journal  of  Geology  and  Natural  Science,  February,  Vol.  I,  No.  8, 

pp.  372-375-     1832.) 

Ferussac,  A.  E.  J.  P.  J.  F.  d'Audebard  de.  "Observations  sur  les 
Naiades  ".  (Magazine  de  Zoologie,  Numbers  59  and  60.  1835.) 

Garnian,  S.  "The  Generic  Name  of  the  Pastinacas,  or  Stingrays." 
(Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National  Museum,  Vol.  VIII, 
pp.  221-224.  1885.) 

Gill,  Theodore.  "  On  the  Relations  and  Nomenclature  of  Stizoste- 
dion  or  Lucioperca".  (Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National 
Museum,  Vol.  XVII,  pp.  123-128.  1894.) 

Girard,  Charles.  "Researches  upon  the  Cyprinoid  Fishes  inhabiting 
the  Fresh-waters  of  the  United  States,  west  of  the  Mississippi 
valley,  from  specimens  in  the  Museum  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  ".  (Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 
of  Philadelphia,  Vol.  VIII,  pp.  165-213.  1856.) 

Goode,  G.  Brown.  "The  Beginnings  of  American  Science.  The 
Third  Century."  An  Address  Delivered  at  the  Eighth  Anni 
versary  Meeting  of  the  Biological  Society  of  Washington.  (Pro 
ceedings  of  the  Biological  Society  of  Washington,  Vol.  IV, 
pp.  25,  26,  37  and  66.  1888.) 

Gray,  Asa.  "  Notice  of  the  Botanical  Writings  of  the  late  C.  S. 
Rafinesque  ".  (American  Journal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol.  XL, 
pp.  221-241.  1841.) 

H.  H.  (Anonymous).  Letter  to  Editor  of  the  Philadelphia  Ledger, 
dated  5th  May,  1877.  (Printed  also  in  the  American  Naturalist, 
Vol.  XI,  pp.  574,  575-  1877.) 


2i2  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

This    is  a  very  inaccurate    account,  full  of   misstate- 
ments,  by  some  one  who  intended  well. 

Haldemann,  S.  S.     "  Notice  of  the  Zoological  Writings  of  the  Late 
C.  S.  Rafinesque".     (American  Jotirnal  of  Science,  ist  Series,  Vol. 
,  pp.  280-291.     1842.) 


Harlan,  Richard,  M.  D.  "  Fauna  Americana  ;  |  being  |  a  Description  | 
of  the  |  Mammiferous  Animals  j  inhabiting  North  America.  | 
-  |  1825."  (See  Introduction,  p.  viii,  and  Appendix,  pp.  302- 
309-) 

Haven,  Samuel  F.  "Archaeology  of  the  United  States,  or,  Sketches 
Historical  and  Bibliographical  of  the  Progress  of  Information 
and  Opinion  Respecting  Vestiges  of  Antiquity  in  the  United 
States."  (Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge,  Vol.  VIII, 
Article  I,  pp.  39-41.  1856.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "  Contributions  to  North  American  Ichthyology, 
No.  I.  Review  of  Rafinesque's  Memoirs  on  North  American 
Fishes".  (Bulletin  United  States  National  Museum,  No.  IX. 
1877.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "  Report  on  the  Fishes  of  Ohio."  (Geological 
Survey  of  Ohio,  Vol.  IV,  pp.  737-741.  1882.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "  Note  on  the  Scientific  Name  of  the  Yellow 
Perch,  The  Striped  Bass,  and  other  North  American  Fishes." 
(Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National  Museum,  Vol.  VIII, 
pp.  72,  73.  1885.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "  Identification  of  the  Species  of  Cyprinidae  and 
Catostomidae,  Described  by  Dr.  Charles  Girard,  in  the  Proceed 
ings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia  for 
1856."  (Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National  Museum, 
Vol.  VIII,  pp.  118-127.  1885.) 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  313 

Jordan,  David  S.  "A  Sketch  of  Constantine  Schmaltz  Rafinesque". 
(Popular  Science  Monthly,  Vol.  XXIX,  pp.  212-221.  1886.  Same 
article  reprinted  in  Science  Sketches.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "Note  on  the  'Analyse  de  la  Nature'  of  Rafin 
esque."  (Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National  Museum, 
Vol.  X,  pp.  480,  481.  1887.) 

Jordan,  David  S.  "  On  the  Generic  Name  of  the  Tunny."  (Pro 
ceedings  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences, 
p.  180.  1888.) 

Jordan,  David  S.,  and  Gilbert,  Charles  H.  "On  the  Synonymy  of 
the  Genus  Bothus  Rafinesque".  (Proceedings  United  States 
National  Museum,  Vol.  V,  pp.  576,  577.  1882.) 

Jordan,  David  S.,  and  Gilbert,  Charles  H.  "Note  on  the  Nomencla 
ture  of  Certain  North  American  Fishes."  (Proceedings  United 
States  National  Museum,  Vol.  VI,  p.  no.  1883.) 

Keep,  Josiah.  "Eminent  Naturalists."  Part  II.  (West  American 
Scientist,  Vol.  II,  pp.  99-102.  1886.) 

Kirtland,  Jared  P.  "  Descriptions  of  the  Fishes  of  Lake  Erie,  the 
Ohio  River  and  their  Tributaries."  (Journal  Boston  Society  of 
Natural  History,  Vols.  Ill,  IV,  and  V.  1840-1846.) 

Lea,  Isaac.  "  Synopsis  of  the  Family  Unionidae".  (4th  Edition,  1870, 
pp.  xxviii-xxx.  Vide,  also  ibidem,  3d  Edition,  p.  xx,  1852.) 

Lea,  Isaac.  "  Rectification  of  T.  A.  Conrad's  'Synopsis  of  the  Family 
of  Naiades  of  North  America,  etc.' "  (Proceedings  of  the  Phil 
adelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Vol.  VII,  p.  i  et  seqq.; 
and  p.  236  et  seqq.;  also,  new  edition,  pamphlet,  pp.  13-25.  1872.) 

LeConte,  John.  "  The  Vines  of  the  United  States."  (Proceedings  of 
the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Vol.  VI,  p.  270. 
1853.)  [Not  seen.] 


Of   THt  Tr  ^ 

UNIVERSITY 


214  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Meehan,  Thomas.  "Rafinesque".  (Philadelphia  Public  Ledger  Sup 
plement,  February  18,  1891.) 

Squier,  E.  G.,  and  Davis,  E.  H.  "  The  Ancient  Monuments  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  ".  (Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge, 
Vol.  I,  preface,  p.  xxxvi.  1847.) 

Swainson,  William.  "  The  Natural  History  and  Classification  of 
Fishes,  Amphibians  and  Reptiles,  or  Monocardian  Animals". 
(In  Lardner's  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  Vol.  I,  pp.  60-63.  1838,  1839.) 

Tryon,  George  W.  "A  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Conchology  in  the 
United  States."  {American  Journal  of  Science,  2d  Series,  Vol. 
XXXIII,  p.  161,  et  seqq.  1862.) 

Venable,  W.  H.,  LL.  D.  Sketch  of  Rafinesque.  (In  "Beginnings 
of  Literary  Culture  in  the  Ohio  Valley,"  pp.  167,  168.  1891.) 


APPENDIX. 

THE  WILL  OF  RAFINESQUE. 


The  Will  of  Rafinesque. 


(First  Page) 

THE  last  will  and  testament  of  Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque 
of  Philadelphia. 

My  own  autograph  Will  written  on  the  ist  May  1833  at  the 
Eve  of  my  departure  for  a  journey  in  the  Apalachian  Mts  of  Caro 
lina,  Tenessee  &  Alabama. 

1.  I  leave  my  immortal  Soul  to  the  Creator  &  preserver  of  the 
Universe,  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  Millions  of  Worlds  moving  through 
space,  to  be  sent  to  whatever  world  he  may  deem  fit,  according  to 
his  wise  laws. 

2.  I  wish  my  body  if  possible  to  be  burnt  rather  than  buried 
as  I  do  not  want  to  contamine  the  Earth  by  decay,  nor  be  a  cause 
of  desease  to  other  men.     My  ashes  if  they  can  be  collected  I  wish 
to  be  deposited  in  a  Urn,  to  be  kept  with  my  Collections. 

3.  The  whole  of  my  property  is  personal,  and   consist,  chiefly 
in  Scientific  Collections,  Books,  Patents,  Secrets  and  Claims.    The 
whole  of  which  except  what  shall  be  hereafter  mentioned  I  leave 
to  my  beloved  only  Sister  Gergette  Louisa  Rafinesque,  now  married 
to  Paul  Lanthois  of  Bordeaux  in  France,  and  to  my  beloved  only 
Daughter  Emily  Louisa,  to  be  equally  divided  between  them,  but 
at  the  conditions  hereafter  specified. 

4.  While  residing  in  Sicily,  I  deemed  myself  lawfully  married 
from   1809  to    1815   to  Josephine   Vaccaro,   although  the  decres  of 
the  Council   of  Trent  forbid  our  regular   marriage.     In   1811    was 
born   my  Daughter  Emily,  and   in   1814  my  son   Charles   Linneus, 
who  died  in  1815.    But  on  hearing  of  my  shipwreck  in  1815,  Josephine 

28 


ai8  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

suddenly  married  Giovanni  Pizzarrone  a  Comedian,  and  dissipated 
the  property  I  had  left  in  her  hands.  She  also  refused  to  send 
me  my  Daughter,  for  whom  I  sent  in  1816  &  1817  two  Brigs  in 
succession  to  Palermo,  the  Indian  chief  &  the  Intelligence.  Where 
fore  I  have  ever  since  refused  to  notice  her,  and  do  not  leave  a 
single  cent  of  my  property  to  her,  as  she  has  another  family  by  a 
living  husband. 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE,  my  true  will) 

(Second  Page ) 

5.  Moreover  as  she  lives  at  the  expence  of  my  daughter  Emily, 
whom  she  has  compelled  to  ascend  the  stage  as  a  Singer,  I  direct 
that  no  part  of  my  property  shall  be  paid  over  to  Emily,  until  she 
leaves  altogether  &  separates  from  her  unworthy  mother,  her  share 
being  kept  in  trust  for  her  by  my  Sister  the  interest  to  be  supplied 
for  Emily  own  personal  use  only,   until  the  death  of  her  mother, 
when  she  may  receive  her  share  entire. 

6.  I  order  that  my  Library,  Books,  Maps,  Engravings,  Drawings, 
Collection  of  Shells,  fossils,  minerals,  and  other  objects  of  Natural 
history,  as  well  as  my  Herbals  or  Botanical  Collections,  besides  my 
apparel,  Drugs,  medicines,  Pulmel,  Syrups,  Balsams  and  every  other 
personal  property  of  mine  (except  my  manuscripts  and  own  draw 
ings,)  be  sold  at  private  sale  in  America  or  Europe  by  the  Executors 
of  my  will,  and  the  proceeds  employed  as  follows. 

7.  To  print  and  publish  all  my  manuscripts,  drawings,  sketches 
and  maps  (unpublished  at  my  decease)  in  the  cheapest  form  either 
in  America  or  Europe  in  English  or  french,  unless  the  copyrights 
can  be  sold.     These  posthumous  works  of  mine  to  be  sold  at  an 
advance  of  100  per  cent,  and  500  copies  at  least  to  be  printed.     The 
proceeds  of  the  copy  rights  or  sales  are  to  form  the  fund  of  my 
inheritance,  to  be  equally  divided  between  my  Sister  and  daughter. 

8.  I  entrust  the  publication  of  these  posthumous  works,  among 
which  the    principal   are    to  be    my    i.    History   of   the   American 


Constantine  Samuet  Rafinesque.  219 

Nations,  2.  My  travels  and  researches  since  1800  3  Tellers  or 
history  of  mankind,  4  Monuments  of  America.  5  Poem  on  Insta 
bility,  &  6  My  Autobiography  &c,  to  my  nephew  Jules  Rafinesque 
if  he  is  able  &  willing,  or  else  to  Prof  John  Torrey  of  Newyork 
and  Prof.  Jacob  Green  of  Philadelphia:  directing  them  to  publish 
in  succession  all  what  is  suitable  for  publication,  and  I  grant  them 
as  a  reward  One  hundred  copies  of  such  works,  or  one  fifth  of  the 
whole  number  published  (being  50  each  if  two  are  employed  in 
this  task)  or  if  the  copyrights  are  sold  by  them  I  grant  them  ten 
per  cent  commission  on  the  same  for  the  trouble 
(C.  S.  RAFINESQUE,  my  true  will) 

(Third  Page) 

of  preparing  them  for  the  press. 

9.  The  Secret  of  the  Pulmel  and  other   medicaments   for  the 
Consumption,  I  enjoin  to  my  Executors  not  to  divulge,  but  either 
sell  it  or  pass  it  under  seal  into  the  hands  of  my  Sister,  to  be  by 
her  used  as   her  own,   requesting  her  to  give   one   fourth   of   the 
profits  to  my  daughter  Emily. 

10.  I  direct  my  Executors  to  sell  my  patentright  of  the  Divitial 
Invention  if  possible,  and  sue  all  the  Bankers  and  Savings  Banks 
who  have  stolen  it  in  part  or  compromise  it  &  pass  the  proceeds 
to  my  heirs  as  above  stated. 

11.  I  direct  them  also  to  sell  all  my  Caveats  &  Secrets,  relating 
to  Aquatic  Railways,  Navigation  of  Shallow  Waters,  Steam  Ploughs, 
Rail  Wheels,   Artificial    Leather,    Incombustible    Architecture    &c, 
and  every  other  Invention  of  mine,  the  proceeds  being  disposed  of 
as  above. 

12.  I  forgive  all  my  foes  and  those  who  have  stolen  my  property 
at  various  time,   beginning  with  those  who   embezzled  my  father 
and  uncle  inheritance.     But  I  direct  my  Executors  to  endeavour 
to   collect  all    debts    due  to   me,   of  which   a  list  will   found  with 
vouchers. 


220  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

13.  If  any  body  has  thought  himself   wronged   by  me,   I   ask 
their  pardon.     I   never  did   any  thing  wrong  willingly,   but  being 
beset  by  knaves  and  Rivals  may  have  been  compelled  to  act  some 
times  in  a  way  not  exactly  as  I  should  have  chosen,  had  I  been 
fairly  dealt  with  by  others. 

14.  I  do  not  owe  any  thing  of  any  account,  have  lately  dealt 
always  in  cash,  there  is  no  Bills  against  me,  and  any  one  presented 
would  be  spurious.     There  may  be  some  old  claims  against  me  by 
my  defunct  brother  Anthony,  but  it  was  unfounded  as  my  Letters 
to  him  prove,  and  if  his  son  Jules  brings  it  on,  he  will  hereby  be 
unfit  to  be  my  publisher.     Some  old  claims  in  Sicily  and  Newyork 
by  Pinistri  &  Roulet,  if  brought  forward  must  be  compromised  & 
much  reduced,  as  my  lawsuit  with  Pinistri  evinces  the  shallowness 
&  injustice  of  this  claim,  &  Roulet  accts  are  also  mostly  wrong, 
both  besides  are   obsolete  &   out  of  law   course.     In  justice   they 
ought  to  take  as  offsetts  the  similar  claims  for  $10,000  I  have  on 
Lafleche,  Lanfiar,  Blodget,  Cramer  &  Spear,  Thomas  Smith,  Trampylo 
Univry*  &   Botanic   Garden   &c,  or  at   least   accept   my   works  in 
paymt  of  any  real  compromise  balance. 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE  my  own  will) 

( Fourth  Page ) 

15.  I   direct  my  Executors   to  withdraw,  claim   &  publish   my 
memoir  on  Materials  for  hist  of  America  sent  in  1825  to  the  Academy 
of  Sciences  of  Boston  for  a  premium  of  $100,  both  of  which  have 
been   withheld  &  stolen   from   me,  as  the  Letters   of  Mr.  Everett 
proves.     Also  my  memoir  on  a  Peaceful  Congress  of  Nations  sent 
in  1831  to  the  Peace  Society  of  Newyork  for  the  premium  of  $500 
offered   &   not   yet    awarded,   if    it   is    not   the   successful   one  and 
publish  it  with  my  other  posthumous  works. 

*  Transylvania  University  is    evidently   intended    here.     From   this   item 
it  may  be  inferred  that  Rafinesque  claimed  an  unpaid  salary  balance. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  221 

1 6.  Whereas   all  the  learned  Societies  of  America  directed  by 
a  base  feeling  of  jealousy  in  some  members  have  never  valued  nor 
encouraged  my  labors  in  Science,  I  leave  them  nothing,  and  direct 
to  sell  none  of  my  collections  to  them  unless  a  better  price  can 
not  be  obtained  in  Europe :  where  I  recommend  selling  to  public 
institutions  rathan  than  private  individuals. 

17.  The  gold  medal  awarded  me  by  the  Soci  of  geography  of 
Paris,  I   leave   to  my   nephew  Jules   Rafinesque,   at  the  condition 
to  keep  it  forever  in  the  family  of  Rafinesque  as  a  honorable  record 
of  a  reward  of  merit. 

1 8.  I  leave  to  my  neice  Laura  Rafinesque,  a  wedding  present 
at  her  choice  or  a  necklace  of  the  value  of  one  hundred  francs  to 
be  paid  to  her  on  her  wedding  day,  and  leave  her  besides  a  set  of 
all  my  works  published  or  posthumous  to  be  given  her  at  once. 

19.  I  request   my  sister  (particularly  if  she  has  no  children) 
to  leave   equaly  at  her  death,  all   her  share  of  my  inheritance   to 
Jules  and  Laura,  or  their  children.     If  Emily  should  die  before  me, 
I  leave  her  share  to  Jules  Rafinesque,  requesting  him  to  allow  some 
thing  to  Henrietta  Whinston  Daughter  of  my  Emily  by  Sir  Henry 
Whinston,  whom   I   also  recommend  to   the  care  of  my  Sister,  if 
her  father  does  not  provide  for  her. 

20.  If  my  Sister  dies  before  me,  I  leave  her  share  to  Jules  & 
Laura  Rafinesque  to  be  equaly  divided  between  them ;  but  if  they 
should  at  any  time  bring  on  against  me  or  my  Estate  the  unfounded 
claims  of  their  defunct  father,  I  withhold  from  them  the  whole,  and 
all  the  beneficial  clauses  of  this  will  in  their  favor,  and  substitute 
to  them  my  Daughter  Emily. 

21.  If  the  proceeds  of  my  Estate,  &  posthumous  works,  patents 
and   Inventions  should   exceed  the   sum  of   ten    thousand   Dollars 
or   fifty  thousand   francs :    I  direct  that  the  excess  whatever  it  is, 
may  be  put  at  compound  interest  in  a  Savings  Bank  for  the  benefit 
of  the  first  Female  Orphan  School 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE  my  own  will) 


222  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

(Fifth  Page) 

that  shall  be  established  in  the  United  States,  as  near  as  possible 
upon  the  plan  of  Girard's  Orphan  College  for  Boys.  And  if  none 
is  established  within  ten  years  after  my  decease,  I  give  the  same 
excess  to  the  first  Free  Library  that  shall  be  established  in  fire  proof 
buildings  in  the  United  States. 

22.  I  name  as  Executors  of  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament, 
Prof:  John  Torrey  of  Newyork,  Prof.  Jacob  Green  of  Philadelphia, 
Peter  A.  Browne  Bsq   of  Philadelphia,  Dr.  James  Mease   of  Phila 
delphia  J.  H.  McCulloh  Jr.  of  Baltimore,  and  the  Consul  of  France 
in  Philadelphia  for  the  time  being,  or  any  three  of  them  that  may 
accept  the  trust,  if  three  should  think  fit  to  decline  it. 

23.  I  recommend  the  care,  selection  &  publication  of  my  man 
uscripts  relating  to  travels  and  Botany  to  John  Torrey  chiefly ;  those 
on  Zoology  &  Sciences  chiefly  to  Jacob  Green,  those  on  Geology 
and  onyctology  chiefly  to  Peter  A.  Brown,  and  those   on   History, 
Antiquities  &  Languages  chiefly  to  J.  H.  McCulloh. 

24.  I  conclude  by  stating  explicitly  that  I  wish  all  the  clauses 
of  this  Will,  to  be  understood  in  their  plainest  obvious  meaning  and 
sense,  without  cavil  nor  quibble,  but  as  equity  and  justice  should 
decide  and  require. 

Written,  Done,  Executed  and  sealed  by  myself,  being  in  perfect 
health  of  body  and  mind.  In  witness  whereof  I  have  signed  this 
at  every  page  and  at  the  end  &  propose  to  deposit  the  same  at  the 
public  office  for  registering  Wills  In  Philadelphia  this  first  of  May  1833. 


C.  S.  RAFINESQUE 
(this  is  my  own  autograp  will) 
Addition.     I  add  Dr.  James  Mease  of  Philadelphia  to   my  Ex 
ecutors  &  publishers  of  my  works  giving  him  the  general  super 
intend  of  it  as  I  know  his  fitness  for  this  task 

Codicil.     I  vouch  and  aver  that   the  claim  of  Maclure  against 
me  has  been  settled  by  me  by  my  shipment  of  Plants  &c. 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  223 

2.  That  the  claim  of  Atkinson  is  cancelled  by  my  offsets,  the 
mistakes  in   his   previous   accts  &  the  withholding  the   100  plates 
of  the   Medical    flora   worth    $300,    whereby   he   is    largely   in    my 
Debt 

3.  that  my  claim  on  the  Estate  of  Z.  Collins  is  just  and  must 
be  pursued  &  recovered  by  law  or  compromise 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE 

SUPPLIMENT,  ADDITION  &  CODICIL  TO  MY  LAST  WILL  OF  1833 

Whereas  since  the  date  of  this  Will  I  have  had  the  misfor 
tune  to  lose  my  Sister  Georgette  Louisa  Lanthois  born  Rafinesque 
who  was  to  have  been  my  sole  heir,  I  hereby  confirm  the  whole 
of  my  said  will  except  what  relates  to  her,  and  I  substitute  for 
my  heirs  Jules  Rafinesque  my  nephew  son  of  my  late  brother 
Anthony  Rafinesque,  and  Laura  Rafinesque  his  sister  and  my 
niece,  besides  Emily  Rafinesque  my  natural  Daughter  to  be  all 
all  three  my  joint  and  absolute  heirs,  each  in  one  third,  of  my 
estate,  chattels,  properties  and  claims 

But  whereas  my  nephew  &  niece  Julius  &  Laura  Rafinesque 
are  minors,  whatever  will  belong  to  them  shall  be  held  in  trust 
by  my  Executors  until  they  are  of  age,  the  interest  alone  being 
paid  them  till  them.  And  whereas  my  Daughter  Emily  has  been 
bereft  from  me  and  is  in  the  power  of  rapacious  relations  (unless 
she  should  be  married  by  this  time)  it  is  my  will  that  only  the 
interest  of  her  share  to  my  estate  should  be  paid  to  her  during 
her  whole  lifetime,  and  the  principal  should  revert  at  her  death 
to  Julius  &  Laura  Rafinesque.  The  Consul  of  the  two  Sicilies  in 
Philadelphia  can  inform  on  Emily  who  is  now  in  Naples.  Julius 
&  Laura  are  in  Paris. 

Whereas  Mr.  Peter  Browne  has  neglected  my  business,  I  strike 

him  off  from  the  number  of  my 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE 


224  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

(Second  Page) 

Executors  and  appoint  in  his  stead  my  friend  Dr.  Samuel  Betton 
of  Germantown.  Wherefore  the  three  Executors  of  my  will  should 
be  Dr.  James  Mease,  Prof  Jacob  Green  &  Dr.  Samuel  Betton.  But 
if  one  of  them  should  decline  to  serve  I  substitute  the  french 
Consul  for  the  time  being,  if  another  should  decline  I  substitute 
the  Consul  of  the  two  Sicilies  for  the  time  being,  and  if  all  three 
should  decline,  the  third  to  be  appointed  by  the  Court. 

I  particularly  confirm  the  obligations  imposed  upon  the  Exec 
utors  of  my  will,  to  have  my  valuable  Collections  properly  sold  and 
rather  in  Europe  than  in  America,  where  they  will  fetch  a  better 
price.  I  want  them  to  be  offered  first  to  the  Museum  of  Natural 
history  of  Paris  at  a  fair  mutual  valuation  and  also  the  obligation 
to  publish  all  my  manuscripts,  the  works  thereof  forming  part  of 
my  estate  when  printed  like  my  other  Works. 

I  recomend  again  to  my  nephew  Jules  the  care  of  my  man 
uscripts  &  works.  If  any  msst  of  mine  is  neglected  by  my  Ex 
ecutors,  he  may  call  for  all  what  I  have  written  in  books  &  loose 
sheets,  and  may  thereof  draw  what  materials  he  may  deem  worthy 
of  publication. 

I  aver  that  I  owe  not  one  cent  to  any  body,  having  always 
paid  cash  for  everything  lately,  but  that  many  owe  me  largely, 
and  that  I  have  many  claims  to  settle,  whereof  Schedules  will  be 
found  in  my  Books,  Pulmel  Book,  Natural  Collections  Book.  Even 
my  Sister  or  rather  now  her  husband  Paul  L,anthois  owes  me  a 
settlement  of  account  for  many  articles  Sent  for  Sale  to  them  at 

Bordeaux  &  received. 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE 

(Third  Page.) 

After  ten  years  trials  and  delays,  I  succeeded  this  year  to 
establish  in  May,  the  Divitial  Institution  of  North  America,  and 
Six  per  cent  Savings  Bank,  which  is  a  beneficial  &  useful  Institu 
tion.  It  has  been  assailed  at  the  outset  by  the  violent  opposition 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  225 

of  the  gambling  Institutions  trying  to  be  set  up  who  have  bribed 
some  of  my  friends  &  given  me  all  the  trouble  they  could. 

My  uneasiness  of  mind  on  that  score  has  been  great  &  hurtful 
to  my  health,  finding  I  could  find  so  few  to  act  honestly  to  the 
public  along  with  me.  If  I  should  die  before  I  can  put  in  full 
successful  operation  which  requires  one  year,  I  leave  it  in  the 
hands  of  the  few  friends  who  partake  my  honest  meaning,  my 
two  joint  trustees  Peter  Brutte  &  Christopher  Marshall  may  admit 
another  equally  honest  &  carry  on  the  Institution  under  the  printed 
Rules  &  published  regulations 

I  aver  that  the  whole  of  my  Expences  to  form  &  mature  this 
Institution  since  1825  has  over  Three  hundred  Dollars  &  my 
expences  from  March  to  June  abt  $60,  besides  the  printing.  These 
expences  were  to  be  paid  me  in  shares  &  are  yet  to  be.  None  but 
those  that  can  show  their  certificates  signed  by  me  are  entitled 
to  them  as  paid,  as  the  Letter  p  was  put  in  the  Books  to  some 
Np  not  paid. 

The  above  is  the  last  Codicil  &  Supplement  to  my  will,  in 
witness  whereof  I  have  written  the  whole  myself  and  signed  & 
sealed  it,  and  mean  to  deposit  it  in  the  office  of  the  Probate  of 
Wills  of  Philadelphia 

Philadelphia  the  i5th  June  1835 

C.  S.  RAFINESQUE 

(Fourth  Page) 

Additional  Codicil  I  further  add  and  solemnly  declare  that  the 
late  award  of  $173  made  in  my  favor  by  the  Arbitrators  in  my 
claim  on  Collins'  Estate  is  less  than  is  justly  due  me,  &  if  the 
Administrator  appeals  this  claim  must  be  pursued  to  the  utmost 
and  papers  found  to  prove  $306  and  beyond  I  recommend  com 
promise  in  all  cases  to  my  Executors  in  cases  of  disputed  claims 
and  to  avoid  litigation  &  expences. 

29 


226  The  Life  and  Writings  of 

Whatever  in  my  will  &  in  this  Codicil  may  be  found  dubious 
must  be  construed  according  to  the  dictates  of  equity  &  honesty. 
Done  in  Philadelphia  the  i6th  June  1835 

C.  S.  RAFINKSQUE 


CITY  AND  COUNTY  OF  PHILADA  SS. 

REGISTER'S  OFFICE  Nov.  16.  1840 

Then  personally  appeared  Samuel  Hood  &  James  Henry  Horn 
&  on  their  oaths  did  say  that  they  were  well  acquainted  with 
C.  S.  Rafinesque,  deceased  the  Testator  in  the  foregoing  Will  & 
three  Codicils  named  in  his  life  time  &  are  acquainted  with  his 
handwriting  having  seen  him  write  his  name  as  well  as  other 
matters,  that  they  have  viewed  the  foregoing  Will  and  Codicils 
and  that  as  well  the  body  thereof  as  the  signatures  C.  S.  Rafin 
esque  thereto  subscribed  are  all  of  the  proper  hand  writing  of  him 
the  said  C.  S.  Rafinesque  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  belief 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me  the 


date  above. 


I.  B.  SEWALL 


Depy  Register 


SAM  HOOD 

JAMES  HENRY  HORN 


NOVEMBER  28th,  1840. 

I  do  swear  that  as  the  Executor  of  the  foregoing  Last  Will 
and  Testament  and  Codicils  thereto  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  deceased 
I  will  well  and  truly  administer  the  Goods  and  Chattels,  Rights 
and  Credits  of  said  deceased  agreeably  to  law  and  that  I  will  comply 
with  the  provisions  of  the  law  relating  to  Collateral  Inheritance 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me  the  \ 
date  above  and  Letters  Testamen-  / 
tary  granted  unto  him.  (  JAMES  MEASE 

I.  B.  SEWALL  \ 

Depy  Register  j 


Constantine  Samuel  Rafinesque.  227 

COMMONWEALTH   OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 


I  ss- 
CITY  AND  COUNTY  OF  PHILADELPHIA.  ) 

REGISTER'S  OFFICE,  September  i3th  1894. 

I,  Wm.  G.  Shields,  Register  of  Wills  and  ex-officio  Clerk  of  the 
Orphans'  Court  for  the  City  and  County  of  Philadelphia,  in  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  do  hereby  certify  the  foregoing 
to  be  a  true  and  accurate  copy  of  the  last  Will  and  Testament 
and  three  Codicils  thereto  of  C.  S.  Rafinesque,  deceased,  together 
with  the  probate  thereof  upon  which  Letters  Testamentary  were 
granted  unto  James  Mease  on  the  28th  day  of  November,  A.  D. 
1840,  as  the  same  remains  on  file  and  of  record  in  this  office. 

In   Testimony  Whereof,   I  have   hereunto   set 
^_^_ N  my  hand  and    official    seal    at   Philadelphia 

the  date  above. 

WM.  G.  SHIELDS 

Register  of  Wills  and  ex-officio 
Clerk  of  Orphans'1  Court. 


we 
XJHIVEB8IT! 


HOME  USE 

CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 
MAIN  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 
1 -month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling  642-3405. 
6-month  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 

to  Circulation  Desk. 
Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  days  prior 

to  due  date. 

ALL  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  RECALL  7  DAYS 
AFTER  DATE  CHECKED  OUT. 


KEfl.  CIR.     JAN  26  76 


INTER!  (RRARY  LOAN 

_j     i 

r^  i 

•'           .     '!-' 

UNIV.  OF 

LlF^  F 

RFP  ritv    nrp 

I,    .  ,  •• 

y    jv'v 

—  r\  -r  A 

APR  2«  i- 

/930 

DEC  CIR.    MftY  2  6   W9                                          _ 



LD21  —  A-40m-8,'75 
(S7737L) 

General  Library 
University  of  California 
Berkeley 

LD  21-100m-2,'55 
(B139s22)476 

General  Library 
University  of  California 
Berkeley 

"• 

*?\& 


i; 


